Pretty Little Poison
by HarlowQuin
Summary: With the wits of a pistol but with a heart of a delicate flower, she is a true sight to behold. All Klavier Gavin wanted was to change her mind, to prove that there is more to him than his ego and reputation. By trying to do so, though, he unknowingly places her in danger. His silent enemy will stop at nothing to destroy his life… even if it means ending hers.
1. Chapter 1

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

Author's Notes: Hello everyone! This is my first story in four years, which happens to be my biggest to date, and my very FIRST Ace Attorney story in general. I am very excited but also pretty nervous to how this will be received, as I still consider myself to be a newer fan. As a result, some characters may seem OOC, but I did my absolute best to stay in-character as much as possible. Enjoy!

* * *

From the moment their eyes met, she hated him.

Perhaps it was a resentment towards his success. Perhaps it was envy. Or the fact that she, again, faced something she wanted but could never have. From his stupid hair to his enormous ego, his presence was utterly repulsive. He had not the faintest idea of the pressures of a normal life, this she knew, and she longed for the day she could watch him crash and burn. Why was it that whenever he would call for her, she would always come running? Much against his knowledge, she was wound tightly around his jewelry-clad fingers, never to be freed again.

It was that fateful day when this all began. One year and seven months ago, just a few months after her inevitable return to the United States.

She had declined all promising opportunities overseas for the sake of her sister's well-being upon her release from prison. The release from her eleven year sentence was all she could focus on, and her preparations for Lana Skye's smooth transition to a civilian life was her only priority. She was the only one on this earth whom Ema shared DNA; she was sure that her elder sibling would sacrifice all for her again, just as she did.

Ema had not regretted this decision returning home. She simply regretted settling for less. Specifically, a career as a homicide detective. As a result, she found herself involved with _him_. Of all the people.

To obtain an extra income, she had obtained a security crew job for the glimmerous fop himself. Her mission was simple; to chase away any crazed fan girls that managed to evade the venue's security and attempt to help themselves to the dressing rooms of the Gavinners. The obsession some of the women possessed for the handsome front man was sickening. Luckily, she only had to call for backup twice since she started. Yet on this night, things changed. Perhaps not much for Klavier Gavin, but entirely for Ema Skye.

The frequent nightmare that had haunted her was always the same. The opening act was entertaining the thousands in attendance with an upbeat, classic rock sound that could be heard throughout the amphitheater. Like a loyal, obedient watchdog, she paced the long hall of dressing rooms, remaining alert for anything amiss. Ahead of her was a couple of men, who appeared to be stage crew, talking among themselves. She paused momentarily to watch them and to reach in her pocket for some snackoos, her treasured snack that she was never without. Before she could turn around, one of the men had parted ways with the other and rushed to her. "Miss! Excuse me, miss… have you seen Mr. Gavin?"

With an emotionless expression, she silently chewed her snackoo and swallowed. "Am I his babysitter now?"

The young man winced at her unexpected retort. "Well, no… but… the show starts in twenty minutes, and we need him backstage as soon as possible. If you see him, will you relay this message for us?"

Ema rolled her eyes. "I suppose," she shrugged before taking another snack into her mouth. Not acknowledging his thanks, she turned without another word to venture to the end of the long hallway once more. She honestly did not care if Klavier missed this memo or not. Such matters was his responsibility. His misfortune may serve for some slight entertainment, yet she needed to remain on his good side in order to earn enough money for a comfortable life for herself and Lana, no matter how dreadful this job was.

Unconcerned, she peeked inside each dressing room for a sign of life, and was relieved to see none. That was, until she heard the faint sound of a woman's voice from the direction of the end of the hall. Shit. Not another fan. Ema swallowed her snack and tucked the bag away in her pocket before making a jog towards the source, with her hand on the small radio transmitter provided to her at the beginning of her shift.

She halted at the door to be met with silence again. If a fan had raided the room, she was obligated to act. Her hand cautiously inched towards the door and she allowed herself a silent peek, in an effort not to alert the intruder if this was, indeed, the case.

What greeted her on the other side left her paralyzed and unable to look away. Klavier's wild, platinum hair, cascaded in loose ringlets down his bare, sun-kissed torso, which glowed beautifully from the light dew of sweat on his skin. Ema's breathing stopped, naturally drinking in this unexpected vision before her. He was beautiful. Perfect, just as he had always been. Though she slowly comprehended that his intense gaze was fixated on a woman lying beneath him, he had consumed her. Controlled her. Forced her into a submission that left her trembling.

Never before had she seen a man naked in this nature, and the last person she wanted to see in this state was that womanizing pretty boy. She forced herself to back away and released the breath she found herself holding, which had left her lungs burning for oxygen.

Initiating a casual presence to prevent the discovery, Ema checked the time on her delicate, red wristwatch and contemplated what action she should take, if any. She contemplated knocking and running, but that had been deemed too risky. She could not chance the relationship with Mr. Gavin becoming more awkward than it already was. Before she could finalize a plan, she heard his long, satisfying moan and she closed her eyes. What a remarkable sound.

Looking to the small crack in the door, she swallowed and dared another peek. He had bit his lip so seductively as he tilted his head back. Oh, yes. Klavier Gavin was a sight more pleasurable than any pornography on the market. Unaware of her body's instincts, Ema's thighs rubbed together to suppress this new, uncomfortable ache. Witnessing his beauty was so strange, so horrifying, an experience that blindsided her.

In her fixation, the radio had fallen from her hand and onto the floor, and Klavier's wild, hungry gaze shot towards the door with suspicion. Shit, shit, shit. Ema forced herself to pull away, having scrambled to pick up the device and bolt from the scene at lightning speed. Panting from horror and embarrassment, she disappeared to the other side of the hall and stood, in a conscious effort not to face the handsome rock star for the remainder of the night.

Minutes before his first segment, though, she had seen him speaking with a couple of band mates from the other side of the room. He was physically flawless, in the way she had always seen him. How could he act as though nothing had happened? Did this woman mean that little to him? A burning heat filled Ema's cheeks. Klavier was a monster.


	2. Chapter 2

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Friday, March 15th – 4:36 p.m._

_Los Angeles Police Department, Homicide Division_

* * *

Ema would never forget the first time she locked her eyes on her sister after nine years of separation. Arlene had been a wonderful friend to the two of them, and Ema never once had to worry about herself after Lana's conviction. However, she could no longer tolerate another moment away from her sibling; the sporadic phone calls were simply not enough.

The younger sister had held the black phone tightly to her ear and beamed happily through the thick, glass barricade, too overjoyed to cry. Lana appeared as though she had lost a considerable amount of weight, and her hair was long and flowing, just like Ema's, but the notable difference was the contagious smile that always remained and never faded again; The Skye sisters were finally free from Damon Gant's manipulative reign of terror forever. He faced the ultimate punishment for the murders, and nothing had thrilled them more.

Ema's birth was brought into discussion and Lana had shed tears at the mere mention of their parents. Their mother, gentle in nature but passionate in the courtroom, was an attorney whose reputation circled around assisting clients that struggled to afford quality representation. Her father, on the other hand, was a wise, but stern judge. When the two shared opposite views on a case, it would always create an interesting conversation at the dinner table later that night. At least, that was what Lana had told her. Ema would never fail to smile in reaction to these stories and the constant reminder of how proud her parents would be of her, though it was impossible to be enthusiastic about her current career; she wanted, and deserved more. Much more.

Just a little longer, and all would be back to normal. In the meantime, she forced herself to endure this stuffy office. Munching furiously on her favorite snack, her eyes scrutinized the final draft of her report, regarding a John Doe, before she would place it in the mailbox for the glimmerous fop. The unbearable, womanizing, handsome fop for a prosecutor. "Ugh..." A heat filling her cheeks at the lingering imagery that contaminated her thoughts, she corrected another error and sat back to enjoy her snackoo for a moment. All of her reports would only go to his mailbox and never personally delivered to his desk. Ema had preferred things to be this way, and quietly enjoyed Klavier's inconvenience. It was likely he possessed a curiosity for the reasoning of her actions, but she never cared to explain.

She had just returned from the courthouse, where she testified in an attempted murder trial. A woman had made a sloppy attempt to stage her mother's death for the sake of an inheritance. It was a simple case, if there ever was one, and Ema had no trouble painting this in its entirety for the court. Granted, her work was flawless, but her heart would always belong to science.

Ema walked to the printer and received the final draft of her five page report. Quickly stapling the papers together and stepping out of her office, she glared at the long rows of boxed holes in the wall. Her lip twitched when she read _'Klavier Gavin, Prosecutor'_ above the second mailbox. "Screw you, pretty boy," she grumbled to herself while cramming the report inside. She reached inside her pocket for her snackoos and munched some more, allowing herself one more glare to his engraved name plate.

One day, she would escape this place. One day, this would all be a memory.

Lorna Adkins, a new detective who had recently transferred to their department, had patted Ema on the shoulder and greeted her in passing, to which Ema smiled warmly. After the short, dark haired woman disappeared from her sight, Ema's shoulders slumped in defeat and she returned to her room.

Although it was the end of the week, the office seemed to be slower than usual today. She looked at the clock; Six minutes to go. She plopped down in front of her computer once again, in the effort to find something that would kill the remaining time she had left in this plain, boring room. An email from Dick Gumshoe had appeared in her inbox, which gave her (rather delayed) congratulations for her return to the United States. Ema learned a while ago that he was practicing in San Francisco and that Maggey Byrde had finally allowed him to take her on a date. _How sweet_, she had thought sarcastically, repulsed at the thought of love.

"Interesting report, Fraulein."

Ema's eyes closed to mask her disgust; she recognized his smooth, sultry voice in an instant. Allowing herself to inhale and exhale one deep breath, she opened her eyes to glance towards Klavier Gavin, who was leaning against her doorway and appeared to be reading the report of their John Doe. She said nothing and continued to pretend she was busy. For a brief moment, all she could hear was his fingers turning to the next stapled page.

"Perhaps we can obtain a DNA sample and run it through the genealogy databases, ja?"

Another attempt at a conversation. She shifted her body before looking towards him again. This time, she noticed his curious eyes, a beautiful, pale cerulean, fixated on her. His lips were slightly curved into a hopeful smile that this time, she would acknowledge him. There was never the first flaw in his appearance; it was almost painful to look in his direction.

"I'll send an inquiry." Ugh! Of course she would bend to any request he would have, no matter how small.

"Great," his smile widened, and a silence fell between them.

With his fingers flipping the read pages forward, his focus remained fixated on her, and she found herself unable to move. Ema wished with everything in her that he would release her from this invisible, imaginary hold, though she could not find the strength to turn her attention back to the computer in front of her.

"Is there anything else?" Her question was breathless, though she worried about what else he could ask for. It was torture being the center of his attention. He was too perfect. It was sickening.

"Nothing work related." He bit his lip. Ema's face flushed, mostly with fury, but partially with elation; she was sure that he was toying with her. This had served as no surprise, though she strongly resisted enjoying this sight. She watched him flick his gaze to the hallway and return to her again. Seeing this as her opportunity, she unwillingly broke their stare and she returned her attention to her computer. Perhaps, if she would pretend to be busy, he would leave.

"Hi there!"

"Huh?" Ema blinked at the unexpected voice and looked forward again to investigate; in front of Klavier stood a friendly, older gentleman, perhaps in his sixties, standing proudly in her doorway holding three bloomed red roses, framed perfectly with baby's breath in a clear vase. "Um… can I help you?"

"You have a special delivery from Hahn's Floral Garden," the man beamed.

Ema desperately fought the cringe that was sure to have plagued her features. "I think you have the wrong room."

"Is your name Ema Skye?"

"I… yes, but-"

"There's no mix-up then, miss," the cheerful deliveryman placed the flowers on her desk. "The order came in this morning. Have a wonderful afternoon!"

"Um..." Ema could not take her widened eyes off of the beautiful roses, perfectly complementing her work space. "Th-Thank you..."

Klavier's head cocked to the side, exploring her clueless reaction. A genuine smile dared to creep across his lips; It appeared as though she had forgotten he was standing there. The homicide detective brushed a delicate, but curious finger across one of the rose's soft petals in awe and her lips parted with amazement. Oh, those lips. Soft with a hint of a pink gloss. He allowed himself the risk of taking in her beautiful face once more before he disappeared from her line of sight.

Pulling the arrangement closer to her for investigation, she noticed a small message card, secured with a neat, white bow around the rim of the vase.

_ The sun in my summer, The fire in my winter._

She retrieved the note between two fingers and observed it thoughtfully, wondering just who would place an order like this for her. Perhaps a phone call with the floral shop could provide some clues to the prankster. She never allowed herself to consider the possibility of an actual admirer. Not even once.

Looking forward, it was then she noticed that Klavier was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Friday, March 22nd – 4:23 p.m._

_Los Angeles Police Department, Homicide Division_

* * *

Ema was no closer to identifying the culprit behind the floral arrangement last week.

Hahn's Floral Gardens refused to release any information, to her great disappointment; the only clues on file was the debit card used for the purchase and the phone number that placed the order, both of which were strictly confidential. An internet search for the source of the cryptic message, too, left her empty handed. For the first time, she was clueless and was out of ideas.

Throughout the week, rumors formed and trickled from room to room. This served as quite the bizarre experience, but Ema decided to move forward, deducing the delivery as a simple prank. She tried to put her mind at rest with this belief, though it was proven difficult; her thoughts would always return to those damn roses, cheerfully brightening her plain office, as though there was a special someone who deeply cared for her. The idea lingered, despite how many times she distracted herself.

Upon returning to her office from a crime scene, her messenger bag was dropped by her desk with a loud thud and she reached to press the power button on her computer. When she sat in her office chair and reached for her stash of snackoos in the top drawer, a colorful flyer, lying on her desk, had caught her attention.

_Come Dance the Night Away!_

_The 73rd Annual Masquerade Ball – Hosted by LAPD_

_Saturday, March 30th _

_7:00 p.m._

_1248 Valerie Boulevard_

_Los Angeles_

_Special Performance by one of our own, _Klavier Gavin_, with _The Gavinners _for one night only!_

_Don't wait! Reserve your tickets today!_

"Oh, for crying out loud," Ema, without hesitation, crammed the advertisement underneath her rack of folders. There was nothing that could make her attend, yet his presence was a deal-breaker. She would be damned if she would play security guard again and risk another accidental glance of Klavier and a random, busty woman who was always ten times prettier than ….

She froze at the many memories that seeped into her conscience once more. The image of his toned, shirtless body. His breathless, intoxicating moan. The way he would throw his head back and bite his lip. His tensed physique upon his orgasm. Such beauty. Oh, she hated him in so many ways, and she refused to accept that she possessed a little envy for his partners.

Her body stiffened as she recalled watching him remove his button-down shirt and his partner's red, manicured nails stroke his stomach muscles. His tight, black pants allowed a slight peek to his sculpted hipbones. With her mouth watering, finding herself wanting to watch him, she closed her eyes to envision the memories better. It mattered not how much hate was in her heart; there was no man more beautiful than Klavier Gavin.

Ema's center tingled and ached for attention. This was wrong. "No..." She had told herself as she opened her eyes. "No. I need to stop this."

Shaking her head, she straightened her posture and turned her attention to the bright computer monitor in front of her. She opened up her word processor and quickly typed all of her knowledge she possessed from today's investigation. The athlete appeared to have died from blood loss as the result of two stab wounds, likely with a weapon of a smaller blade. His wallet was recovered three to four feet from him and fingerprints were discovered that did not belong to the victim. Also noted were bruise markings around the victim's neck, hinting at the possibility of multiple attackers.

She groaned; She should be in the laboratory running the tests herself, not sitting in an office chair writing about it. Reaching for a snackoo, she munched and read her work so far. Christ, this was such a dreadful job. Distracting herself by checking her email, she found that she was granted permission to obtain a raw data sample of John Doe's DNA in an effort to locate possible family. That was somewhat of a relief.

"Ema Skye?" She looked to the man in the doorway and dropped the snackoo in her hand; It was the same florist from last week, proudly smiling. "Hi again! You have another delivery today."

The detective blinked stupidly, watching him put another clear vase with two roses atop her desk. This time, a one pound bag of snackoos accompanied her delivery. "Sir, do you know who is sending me these?"

"I'm sorry, miss, but I do not. I am aware that the owner was sworn to secrecy about-"

"Secrecy!? As an unwilling recipient, I demand to know who!"

"I'm terribly sorry, miss. Please do not be angry with me. I'm just a messenger!" he whimpered. "Please, enjoy your flowers. Have a nice day!"

And he was gone, leaving Ema with her torturous thoughts. For the longest moment, she stared at the new flowers with the awareness that this no longer seemed to be the prank she initially presumed. Reaching for the message in the flowers with a shaking hand, she fumbled around to remove it from the clear pick. "The stars shine with the envious moon, I will always love you," she read aloud. "What in the hell is this?"

She relaxed her back against the chair for a moment, scrutinizing today's message. The unknown was maddening, and it was hard to grasp the idea that someone had thought so strongly of her, as she had never been pursued in this fashion. Hell, she had never been _pursued_ to begin with. Being the subject of affection was all new to her. It was then that a new emotion had swelled inside of her chest: Flattery. Smiling, she ran a hand over the large bag of snackoos. Perhaps she could get used to this treatment.

When she turned to look at her computer, Ema silently pieced together what she knew; last week, there were three roses, and now there are two. The two messages together appeared to be a poem of sorts. Why these were delivered at the end of each work week, though, stumped her. It was clear that the individual knew where she worked and was aware of her undying love for her favorite snack. She knew quite a few people; was there a chance this narrowed down any suspects?

Her gaze returned to the card in deep thought. "Who..." She murmured. "Who are you?" Ema popped a snackoo in her mouth.

Much against her knowledge, Klavier leaned against the doorway, with his trademark smile flashing in the admiration for his colleague. Nothing had satisfied him more, witnessing her determination to solve this mystery, the trance that had seemed to taken over her. Despite her frequent mood shifts, especially towards him, her beauty was unparalleled.

His softened stare surveyed her every movement, enjoying this sight. He loved watching her guess. This game he played was dangerous; emotionally and professionally. This he could not deny, yet he willingly risked it all. And he would give so much more, all to change her mind.

After a few moments, Ema looked forward and jumped. "Shit! How long have you been standing there?"

"That is an interesting way to greet your superior, Fraulein," he chuckled.

With her eyelid twitching in aggravation, she placed the new bag of snackoos inside a drawer in her desk. "What do you want?"

"I was actually wondering if you have seen Lorna." He lied, followed with a curious click of his tongue.

Her hard stare remained on the prosecutor. "She must have went home for the day if she is not in her office."

She watched his eyes scan the roses on her desk. "Who's the lucky man?"

"Lucky –!? There is no lucky man!" Huffing, she returned to her report. The nerve of that glimmerous fop. He lifted his body from the door frame and daringly strolled further into the room. Ema's body shifted in discomfort and she strengthened her effort to keep her attention on the computer screen. At the corner of her eye, she watched him lean against her desk and gently grip the stem between two of his fingers to examine the rose. Her breathing stopped; One half of her mind wondered what in the hell he was doing, and the other half simply watched his thumb stroke one of the soft petals. The innocent curiosity in his gaze left her fighting a smile. Klavier could commit the worst crime in the world and he would remain just as beautiful.

"What's in a name? That which we call a r_ose, __b_y any other name would smell as sweet?" He recited thoughtfully.

Ema raised her eyebrows. "Shakespeare?"

He turned to her and smiled. "The science buff knows her literature. I will see you Monday, Fraulein."

Ema returned her glare to the computer screen, refusing to watch him leave. By doing so, she missed his long, final gaze.

* * *

_Friday, March 22nd - 5:46 p.m._

_Ema Skye's __Residence_

* * *

Returning home, the second card was placed beside the first, atop her dresser. Providing that this was not a sick joke, it was clear that someone was stopping at nothing to impress her. The feelings of hope and flattery, though, left her uneasy and uncertain. Keeping her eyes on the cards, she removed her work clothes and changed into a simple tank top and sweat pants. This was ridiculous.

In an attempt to clear her mind from these events, she poured herself a glass of wine and sat in front of her cheap television set. For the moment, she resided in a small one bedroom house until Lana's release. From there, they would discuss plans to invest in a larger home. Life in the United States was smoother than she expected. Soon, she would retake the Forensics exam. And she could not wait for that day.

Her cellular phone on her coffee table emitted light and began to vibrate. She leaned forward and learned it was a call from the prison. Oh, thank God, it was her sister!

_An inmate is attempting to reach you. To accept this call, press one._

She eagerly followed the instruction. "Hey sis!"

"_Em! How are you?" _Lana seemed to be in good spirits.

"Ugh. Never better." She sunk back into her long, leather couch.

"_Uh oh… do you want to talk about it?"_

Ema fought a smile. "I want to hear about your day, instead."

Lana did not discuss much; An inmate, two cells away, was caught with contraband earlier that day. She advised that she had been keeping to herself lately, since a corrupt guard had returned from administrative leave. Though it was a discussion about prison, Ema found herself soothed by her sister's voice. Unconsciously, she had grown quiet, simply listening to her talk. _"__Sis? Are you still there?"_

Oh! "Yes, yes I am."

"_Listen, I don't have much time today. Are you okay?"_

"Yeah, it's just ..." Holy shit, where did she begin? "I've been… receiving flowers at work."

"_Flowers? From who?"_

"I… I don't know."

"_Em, please be careful. Keep your guard up. Remember the mace I bought you."_

Finally, a reaction stemmed from common sense. She hoped that it did not result in a physical attack towards her. Why would an attacker go to such lengths if this was the case? Fear pooled in the pit of her stomach at the thought. Never once did she fear the unknown until now.

"I will, sis."


	4. Chapter 4

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Thursday, March 28th – 4:12 p.m._

_Los Angeles Police Department, Homicide Division_

* * *

"Ugh. Not this again!"

Ema rubbed her temples. This time, her delivery was a day early, and the gifts were placed on her desk during her meeting with fellow detectives. All of her colleagues, though, never stopped teasing her about her secret admirer, thus reviving the hypothesis that this might be their doing, after all, thus crushing her spirits.

She finally had enough; she was going to contact the florist again and demand for the deliveries to be stopped immediately. Huffing, Ema took her seat and scanned the white gift box; In elegant handwriting, her name was written on the over-sized tag that hung on the large, red bow. This was odd. Releasing a deep breath, her fingers wrapped around the edges of the lid and pulled it away with one swift move.

Among the decorative, white tissue paper was an elegant mask and a ticket to the masquerade this weekend, with a black jewelry box with a soft, velvet finish. Opening it revealed a sterling silver necklace and matching bracelet, with delicate jewels that shone brilliantly in the light. She recognized the embroidered M logo on the interior lining of the box; this jewelry had come from one of the most expensive jewelers in the city. Beginning to shake, she found a message that was strategically placed underneath the new gift.

_Tomorrow._

_Aurora Collection - choose any dress you want.  
Saturday.  
Pick up your dress at 2:00 p.m._

_And finally, Wear these._

_Worry not; it's covered. I will see you at the masquerade._

_Yours. _

"W-what is this?" Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. "Who – How did – What -" How could anyone feel so strongly for her to go through all this trouble? Her finger traced the lining of the bracelet with confusion and shock. She rubbed her chest with her free hand, as though she was struggling to breathe. "Impossible."

Ema reached for her large bottle of water and chugged; The thought of a romantic evening with an unknown suitor was overwhelming, and perhaps dreadful, in all honesty. Or … maybe she embraced the thought of one's devotion for her? Regardless, she possessed so many questions, with some extra curse words to add, and this may be her only chance for the madness to end.

Gasping for air after her drink, She looked at the single rose, a deeper, more vivid shade of red than the others. A rose. There was only one. Blinking, she counted. Three, two, one. What did this mean? Trying to make sense of it all, she retrieved the flyer. Her eyes stopped on Klavier's name, headlining the event. Jesus. She imagined him laughing at the vision of her in a dress and a quiet growl escaped from her throat. This will likely cause her a lifetime of teasing if he, or any of her colleagues, knew that she was actually going to...

Go.

Swallowing, she knew that she was going to have to attend in order to stop this nonsense. Shit! She did not know the first thing about styling her hair for a formal occasion, and she had very little knowledge about cosmetics, other than what Lana and fellow peers had taught her as a preteen. What was worse, it had been over a decade since she had danced with another. Beads of sweat surfaced on her brow; What in the hell was she going to do?

She struggled to maintain a strong exterior. In reality, she had suddenly felt trapped, as though she had no choice in this matter. Her thoughts spun in her mind and it was impossible to pinpoint one to focus on. This was the last way she expected to come face to face with the pursuer.

Ema supposed she could entertain this idea.

* * *

_Saturday, March 30th – 3:56 pm._

_?_

* * *

"Sir," The younger gentleman greeted his boss, sliding an envelope through the opening between them.

He watched him curiously sift through the photos he had taken earlier that day; Photos of Ema walking to her car with a covered dress over her shoulder. His boss lifted a brow and was visibly intrigued. "I see. The masquerade, I presume?"

"Word travels fast, doesn't it? Even in here?" The photographer did not dare ask what his boss's sudden fascination was with her.

"Mr. Bennett, confirm my suspicions, and I will advise your next step."

The photographer's hands sweat nervously. "What suspicions are that? … I just don't-"

"Not to worry. Do your job and do it well. You will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts."

"… Yes, sir."

* * *

_Saturday, March 30th – 6:19 p.m._

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

Ema could not believe she was doing this.

She practiced deep breaths to keep her lingering anxiety at bay. Though it required research on hairstyles and make-up techniques, a look was successfully developed that she deemed appropriate for such an event. Looking over her work, Ema nodded in approval, believing that she cleaned up nicely. Her dress of choice remained simple; beige and ankle length that hugged every curve, which seemed unavoidable, judging by how every dress she had tried accentuated the features of her body. The straps were small and rested at her shoulders, perfectly framing the sterling silver necklace on her exposed chest. She winced uncomfortably, not used to the royal treatment; God, she wished Lana was here.

Nausea pooled in the pit of her stomach while she ate a couple of emergency snackoos from her smaller, brown purse. Packing this light was sure to be an adjustment. Another breath slowly filled her body and left. She was sure that after this night, she would never be the same. Whether this was a good thing or a bad thing, she was not entirely sure. Was it too late to back out?

Allowing herself one more long gaze to her beautiful appearance, she turned to leave.

The drive to the banquet hall was smooth initially, until she was met with the increasingly congested traffic, beginning around four blocks away. Slowly and tortuously, as though fate was taunting her, she neared the line for the valet parking. Her cringe returned at the distant sight of a couple media outlets taking photos of others as they entered the banquet hall. Her gaze fixed onto the mask resting on her passenger seat and she reached to put it on without hesitation. "Oh, no. Ema Skye will not be a known attendant to this party," she said to herself as she was met with another wave of nausea.

A valet attendant had approached her car and she forced a smile as she got out, when she was handed a ticket that she promptly stuck in her purse. Taking one long look at the path that stretched out ahead of her, separating her from the pursuer, her stomach continued to turn. This was finally happening. "Come on, Ema… you can do this." Her encouraging words to herself wavered. And she put one foot in front of the other, making her way to the party. She was unsure just what this man had seen in her. For his sake, she hoped to keep an open mind, and not be sent to jail for assault on this night.

"Ah! A lone ranger!" one journalist had exclaimed upon seeing her. "Love the dress. Are you meeting your date here?"

"Shut up," she mumbled without looking towards them. She did not hear another word, but she did not care, as her focus was simply getting through the door without fainting, abandoning her admirer completely, or both. The chatter of other guests started to fill her ears, louder and louder, as she approached the large door's frames. With eyes widened, Ema examined the party, where she discovered that she was one out of hundreds of people. Maybe thousands. "Oh, my God." Her heart pounded. There was no way she would be found; not in the way she blended in.

Dozens of beautiful, golden chandeliers emitted dim lighting onto the party below, where the attires of the guests created a sea of colors. It smelled as though she had walked into a rose garden, as large bouquets of flowers heavily decorated her line of vision of the enormous room. To her left was a few dozen tables set up, adjacent to the refreshments. To the right was a large bar with a half of a dozen bartenders serving guests. Ahead was the well-lit stage, where a band currently played upbeat instrumental music for the dancing attendants. Though she was certain her identity was concealed, Ema was also sure she was over her head.

With her hands nervously grasping onto her handbag, Ema remained alert as she entered the line for the bar. A good, stiff drink was needed to get through this night. The line had moved fairly quickly, and when it was her turn, she ordered an alcoholic beverage and chugged it without a second thought. Odds were likely she did not appear ladylike upon doing so, yet at that moment, Ema could not have cared less.

Minutes had passed by. And then an hour. Not one person had approached her. She was one among a sea of masks with the least conspicuous attire a woman could wear, yet she continued to scan the many people that surrounded her. Most had a partner and were dancing the night away. Others were chattering and drinking. And she stood alone. Beginning to consider the thought of leaving, a voice had alerted her from behind.

"May I?"

Without hesitation, she turned.

* * *

A/N: Hello everyone! I'm sorry if anyone thought the flower deliveries were repetitive. I assure you that after this chapter, there are no more.


	5. Chapter 5

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

Ema's breath was stuck in her throat.

The familiar scent of warm sandalwood cologne drifted beneath her nose, leaving her stiffened and unable to move. The strobe's light had danced across the face of the man before her, exposing the pale cerulean eyes beneath his simple, white mask. His lips were curved into a charming, confident smile. She eyed the man with caution, though it was hard not to fall victim to this charm. "I…" She paused. "I'm waiting on -"

"I know," Only slight enough for her to notice, his head tilted to the side. Ema tensed as she watched a strand of his light colored hair fall between his eyes. When he extended his jewelry-clad hand in invitation for hers, she examined every inch of him in a desperate attempt to disprove her new suspicion.

"It was… you? All along?" This was, for certain, a mix up. Though disenchanted, she allowed herself a moment to bask in his inexplicable beauty. With his white suit that matched the simplicity of his mask, he possessed the aura of an angel, though she was certain of his intentions. He simply wanted to take her to bed. There was no other explanation, was there? Rumors were in constant circulation in the office about Klavier Gavin, yet none of them included the news of a serious relationship. This was never a surprise for Ema; She could not imagine him wanting anything more.

Yet, if her body was all he wanted, why would he go through this amount of effort to bring her here? For her, of all people? There were several women within their department much more attractive than she, and many more whom he would invite to his dressing rooms. In comparison, she was simple, ordinary, and had no interest in beauty or superficial enhancements of any form. Though she was not where she wanted, she lived for her job and had a much stronger devotion to science and forensics. Her one and only love.

Her focus returned to his extended hand in a strong debate with herself, whether or not she should indulge in this opportunity. She hated herself for wanting this. One dance would not get his hopes up, would it? Closing her eyes, the digits of her hands slowly and carefully inched towards his.

Without lifting her arm, he lowered his head and tenderly kissed the knuckles of her hand. A deep blush filled her cheeks; his lips were so soft against her skin! He lifted his face to meet her eyes, gripping her with his intense, serious gaze. Without another word, he scooped her into his arms and they began to dance.

Ema could not speak. A deep hypnosis, a trance, battled to claim her conscience and she found herself questioning if this was her reality. Yes. This was a dream. She was still in her bed, sleeping beneath her warm covers, and eventually she would awaken in a cold sweat, only to be met with her utter terror of this upcoming event all over again. This admirer could not have been Klavier Gavin. He was not, and never had been, capable of romance. Yet, with each passing second, Ema found herself slipping, falling, allowing the embrace of his charm to take her.

Soon, all guests at the party had ceased to exist. No one, and nothing else mattered.

He deeply studied every feature of hers, melting underneath his touch. The two were swept away into a beautiful oblivion, attached and bound by a magnetic connection that neither could bring into words. His hand tightened around hers as he lowered his nose to her jawline, brushing against her soft skin. Instinctively, her arm had circled around the nape of his neck to pull him closer. Never did she want this to end. She admitted it. Finally. Ema could never have enough of this moment. Her eyes finally opened to meet his gaze and she noticed his fixated stare, drinking every inch of her in.

"You look beautiful, Ema," he whispered. Her breath shakily escaped her body as his face neared hers. Ema was skeptical of the thought of a kiss. Yet, at this moment, she did not feel she would mind. This was so overwhelming, so addicting. Never before had she wanted something, or someone, so badly. With little effort, Klavier had left her unraveled and exposed, as he destroyed every wall that she built over the years.

"I..." She hated this. She hated feeling so vulnerable. For so long, she found him vile. Klavier was a man who took too much pride in his appearance, worse than any woman she had ever met. The two could not have been more opposite, yet their bodies had molded together, two halves that were whole again. Though she felt a small pang of disappointment, mostly within herself, she was no longer afraid. "Tell me why."

She watched Klavier study her, as though he was thinking of what to say. "You deserve it."

"I… deserve it?" Ema echoed. "Deserve what?"

He paused. "Everything."

She was weightless; she had looked into his eyes for further answers, yet all logic and scientific research had abandoned her, melted away. A piece of his hair had tickled her wrist and she inched her hand away. Though she was unaware, she allowed herself to stroke the stray strand. She watched his confident smile return, and he, too, brushed a finger down her heated cheek. Why was she not angry at him?

Their bodies had froze and, though Ema did not notice, his gaze shot towards the stage. Without any warning, he kissed her hand once more and whispered, "I will return for you," and disappeared into the crowd. It was then she realized that the music had stopped. She blinked hard to this sudden emptiness and found herself searching the crowd. "Wait," she squeaked. "Hey! I'm not done yet!"

She tried to move, but she felt as though her body was concreted to the floor, not wishing to move an inch in the event he would, indeed, return. She looked to her tingling arms; never before was she entranced by another to these heights and she was desperate to fill this new void once again. This was bizarre. So appalling.

Trembling, she scanned the room once more. Klavier had gone through such lengths to prove God-knows-what, only to abandon her the way that he did? Was there something wrong with her? Did he have an emergency? Or was it a prank after all? The emptiness soon escalated into heartache.

Her ears were filled with cheers, whistles and screams from eager women, and her eyes followed to the sources of the sudden noise in front of her. Two of the Gavinners' band mates had taken the stage; one sat behind the impressive drum set and the other had taken a guitar to Ema's left. She had forgotten all about Klavier's performance tonight. "Right..." Since it was apparent that he was taking the stage, she quietly retreated to the bar for another stiff drink. After what she had just experienced, she needed it.

"Oh my God, it's him!"

"Love you, Klavier!"

She rolled her eyes without looking at him. His fans were always so unbearable to witness.

The soft strum of a guitar silenced the party goers.

_The sun in my summer, The fire in my winter... _

Ema froze. Wait a minute.

_The stars shine with the envious moon... I will always love you._

The drum's beat began and she slowly turned around to study Klavier. The spotlight was solely on him, as he sat on a stool with his guitar as he sang with the sweet melody his band mates created. _By your grace, I am whole again. _Forgetting the idea of a drink altogether, she turned and disappeared into the ever-growing crowd and the dancing couples until she was in the front row of the squealing fans that she always tried to avoid.

_And my heart is yours until the end. _She watched him pull his long, tucked ponytail from his suit and remove the familiar mask, revealing his true self. Cheers exploded from the audience that surrounded Ema. At that moment, her nausea had returned with a brutal vengeance while she scrambled to find a loophole with the facts, though the outcome was always the same. The undeniable truth was that her 'admirer' was Klavier Gavin. The pretty boy. The glimmerous fop. The man whom she hated everything about. From his ego, to his obsession for a perfect appearance, to his unbearable fans that would, and have, gone through hell to take him to bed. He was her boss and one of the most respected prosecutors in the state; this was unprofessional and …

She stroked the unexpected wetness on her cheek; Tears had started to stream down her face. He did everything to make her feel special. Perhaps too much. The heartache was insufferable. The logic was unavoidable. Ema could not face him any longer, no matter how much of the world he tried to give her. They could never be what they wanted.

Without another look at his beautiful face, she turned and escaped the building.


	6. Chapter 6

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Neither the day or the hour mattered to her_

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

In his warm embrace, she was comforted. Safe. Loved. The addiction of his touch had filled her, consumed her every thought; the euphoria and the adrenaline that pumped through her entire body left her with a dependence in which she never wanted to be rid of. Not even she knew of her desire until she had the opportunity to experience it. _You look beautiful, Ema._ Her heart ached at the recollection of his words. _You deserve it… everything. _He had sounded so sincere. So genuine. In just a few moments, her angel, embracing her with his beautiful wings, had cleansed her soul of all that haunted her. All that hurt her. All that ate her alive.

He unmasked himself, and her flame of hope extinguished.

She fought with all her strength to break the hold of his protective wings, but was faced with the agony of defeat. This beautiful angel did not possess the capability for love, but rather lust, as she repeatedly witnessed. She had to keep reminding herself of who, and what, he was. He was one that would take pride in the count of bodies in his bed, and she refused to be simply another number. That was what hurt the most. How could she have been so stupid to fall for his advances?

Ema had never speculated Klavier as her admirer; there was never a reason to. The truth, even now, left her head spinning. How could someone so shallow, so selfish, have the capability to stop her world from turning? Though she briefly speculated that she could have been wrong about him, the pain returned with the reminder of his superiority. He was her boss. This had to have been against the policy of their department somehow. Wasn't it?

Regardless, she could not take this chance. Ema Skye and Klavier Gavin could never be together.

Her eyes stung with pain as she stared into the darkness, with more tears threatening to escape, as the cellular phone on her night stand lit her pitch black bedroom without warning. The ring tone was familiar to her; a loud alarm that she assigned for her phone calls from work. There was another incident in the city that needed her attention.

She stiffly turned to the source of the light with a blank stare.

* * *

_Sunday, March 31st – 10:57 p.m._

_Grove Park Mall Parking Lot_

* * *

The bright lights of six or seven police cruisers confirmed the reality of a murder in the abandoned parking lot; beautiful shades of blue and white faintly danced across Ema's car as it halted. Grabbing her messenger bag from the passenger seat, she exited the vehicle and jogged to the epicenter of the incident, where she discovered a small pickup truck and an older gentleman lying in a pool of blood. "Out of my way," she passed three officers and gracefully ducked underneath the yellow tape that secured the scene.

She emerged under the rays of the large spotlight, pointed towards the victim, and she knelt beside him. Keeping her broken, emotionless gaze on the deceased, Ema reached in her bag and retrieved a fresh pair of individually packed, sterile rubber gloves to put on. "Miss Skye. Glad to see you," the chief police officer had approached her from behind.

"Thank you," her acknowledgment was flat as she carefully examined his body, which was still warm. He had not been parted from this world for very long. She revealed his tattered wallet on the inside pocket of his flannel jacket. Before flipping it open to confirm a form of identification, she looked to the officer standing behind her to confirm his preparation to seal any evidence. She placed the wallet inside one clear bag and a broken cellular phone near his person in another. Upon further investigation, she found a very scant amount of white powder on his upper lip, close to his nostril. "Possible drugs in his system," she had said out loud. "Unless he had a fondness for powdered donuts. We need to swab his nose."

Replacing her gloves, she touched the body to examine for specific injuries to the corpse. "I see one stab wound to the stomach and a large lesion on the back of his head. It appears he might have been shoved to the ground and attacked." She looked to her left to see two police officers following her words and studying the scene with her.

To Ema's right, a few yards away, was her superior, Klavier Gavin, speaking to an officer, though his pale, cerulean eyes were solely focused on her. The blue lights flashed beautifully over his features, enhancing his already polished and flawless appearance. His angelic face was unreadable, but he continued to study her. In return, she could not take her eyes off of him.

What was _he_ doing here? He rarely made appearances during investigations. Sighing, she scowled and returned to her tasks. Never before had she been so determined to finish an investigation in record time. She wanted to do her job and leave, without another word. Ema found herself suddenly riddled with anxiety at the mere knowledge of Klavier's presence. She wondered what he was thinking.

Ugh. None of this mattered. It was a simple invitation to a party. That was all she would conclude without any further speculation.

After an hour or so, her portion of work was complete and she released the body to the coroner and to the lucky bastard in forensics. This served as her opportunity to make a quick retreat to her car. She could not endure this any longer. Her chest was tightening from the intense anxiety, and the lack of proper nutrition had left her body weakened. She had to get home. She had to escape.

She swung the long strap of her bag over her shoulder and disappeared into the darkness once more. However, when she returned to her car, Klavier was already leaning against the driver's door, as though he had been waiting on her. Her teeth gritted together as she covered her visible cringe with her hand. Ema allowed herself one peek to the handsome prosecutor between her fingers; he did not seem upset. Rather, he seemed curious.

"Hey… Um..." her voice cracked, which she quickly covered with a nervous laugh. "That's my car you're leaning on."

"You left the other night, Fraulein," he mused. "Did you not enjoy yourself?"

Ema choked. What in the hell was she supposed to say? Her hands wrung nervously around the strap of her messenger bag. She never did like this man, yet she never brought herself to make her opinions known. "No, I did… It's just..." her gaze fixed to the ground. This was not good. "Nobody has ever done something like that for me before, and ..." her gaze trailed up his beautiful body to his handsome face. "I panicked. That's all."

Klavier appeared as though he was considering her words. "You panicked?"

"I'm sorry, it's just..." She paused. "I need to leave."

And she nudged him away from her car and allowed herself in. His eyebrows lifted in surprise, yet he let her through. Ema lied her messenger bag on the seat beside her and fished in her pocket for her car keys. She placed her other hand on the rail of the car door to close it, yet she paused. Could she really leave him like this? He was likely the most shallow person she had ever met, but he _did_ do a lot for her.

She put her car keys down and allowed herself back out of the car. Looking into his eyes, she raised her chin and broadened her shoulders. "I had the time of my life, Mr. Gavin. I thank you, but there are many, _many_ others who would kill to be in my place, but -"

"I chose you," he finished her sentence.

She blinked. "Come again?"

Klavier smiled with amusement of her expression. "I did not want to dance with anybody else but you."

Her breath shook. His voice, though smooth like the softest velvet, pierced her like a dagger. What exactly was he saying?

"Perhaps I should have toned it down a few notches." He shrugged. "Let me make it up to you."

Ema resisted a smile. A genuine smile. "What are you talking about?"

"Let me take you somewhere nice. Tomorrow? Around six?"

Her eyebrows raised. "Are you asking me on a date?"

His trademark grin brightened his face. "What do you say?"

Ema paused. This could not be happening. Perhaps a night with her would be enough to scare him away. "Um..." Speechless, she inched her hand into her pocket and retrieved her small notepad and pen to write her address and phone number on. "Are you sure?"

His chest rumbled with a chuckle. "Positive, fraulein."

Hesitantly, she ripped off the piece of paper and slowly handed it to him. "Don't be late," she whispered.

Not taking his eyes off of her, he reached for her hand. "Never."

She blinked with the sudden realization of her actions. Her hole was dug deeper and deeper into the earth, and soon, there was no escape.


	7. Chapter 7

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Monday, April 1st – 5:01 p.m._

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

_Wear comfortable shoes._

Ema blinked at the text message she had just received while munching on her snackoos. This had to have been from Klavier. His plans for her tonight piqued her curiosity, though this clue was rather vague. Regardless of his definition of 'comfortable', this was her cue to stop avoiding the mess she had gotten herself into and to begin preparing for the night ahead.

After turning on some relaxing music, she showered in her small bathroom and made every effort to keep her focus on the present task. This was difficult, as she was more afraid of this night than she was Saturday. Just the thought of Klavier had turned her stomach. Why did she allow herself to submit to more torment? Why could she not say no to him, knowing his history? Groaning, Ema rinsed any residual shampoo and conditioner out of her hair and started to scrub away the sweat and dirt from her typical day at work.

The two did not cross paths today, which was not necessarily uncommon, as she spent the majority of her day on two different scenes and following up on paperwork regarding a previous case. What was a rarity was his appearance at the murder scene the night before. It was clear that he came for the sole purpose to see her. Otherwise, he scarcely bothered with such matters. She looked at the clean hand in which he touched and her fingers flexed. Just why was he suddenly infatuated with her?

She turned the water off and wrapped a large, plush towel around her naked body and another onto her long, brown mane. Stepping out of the shower, her reflection was revealed in the mirror and she sighed hopelessly. There was not much she could do to appear as glamorous as Klavier. Ema scowled. Wait, why did she care about her appearance all of a sudden? It did not take long for her to snap out of those thoughts. This resulted her in drying her hair and styling it into a voluminous ponytail, and throwing on a clear lip balm. "Done."

Choosing to wear a simple, maroon top with black denim pants and black flats, she collapsed on her bed and sighed. All there was to do was wait and let her mind wander. Ema considered what Lana might be doing right now. If only she knew of the trouble her only sister was getting herself into on the outside. She laughed to herself at the thought of her reaction. Oh, how she missed her.

She jumped when she heard a knock on her door. Oh, shit! What time was it? Ema jumped out of her bed as though she had heard a gunshot, but practiced her breathing to calm herself down. Her index finger stroked around the shape of her wristwatch on her opposite arm as she slowly made her way to the door. Again, she was asking herself if it was too late to back out. Swallowing, her hand wrapped around the front door's knob and she twisted it to open.

On the other side stood Klavier, and her heart stopped.

As if it was possible he could be any more handsome. From his white, button down shirt to his lightly distressed denim pants, tight in all the right places, he appeared as though he was a supermodel on the way to a photo session. Though Ema's mouth was left watering, she could feel the joy radiating from his body; he was genuinely happy to see her. Her instinct urged her never to get her hopes up, yet she could not listen.

Her elegant fingers stroked the edge of the door before she opened it further to reveal herself. Suddenly, she felt so ordinary, so plain, in comparison. He was out of her league. Partially, she was relieved, though her heart uncomfortably ached. They could never be together. This was a waste of her time.

"I know I'm a few minutes early, but ..." he finally said. "You look beautiful." Despite her strong resistance, she could not hold back a smile. To her bigger surprise, he held out his hand to take hers. "Are you ready?"

Remaining speechless, she nodded. And before she realized what was happening, he gently tugged her from the doorway to the outside. Shutting the door behind her, Ema turned forward and discovered his motorcycle in her driveway. With her mind scrambling and her shallow breaths quickening, she paused to watch him climb on to the bike effortlessly. "Wait … Are we taking…?"

Charming her with his smile, Klavier held out his hand again and she paused, as all of her overwhelming fears blindsided her, in a wave stronger than all that led to this moment.

"I..." Closing her eyes, her hand was placed in his and she allowed him to pull her closer. "I've never..."

"It's all right. Climb on," he murmured. She awkwardly lifted her other leg over the large motorbike to position herself behind Klavier. "Hold on tight."

"What?" She blushed.

He chuckled. "Unless you want to sit in your driveway like this."

Ema's blush deepened as she forced her arms around his waist. Oh, she was touching him! The ripples of his toned body brushed beneath her fingertips. Though, after her embarrassment subsided, she permitted herself to embrace his warmth and his familiar cologne comforted her. Without giving her any time to think further, he roared the motorcycle to life and the two had ridden away to quickly merge into the traffic.

The wind had wildly rustled her long ponytail and cooled her face as the city slowly started to disappear behind them. She could not even bring herself to ask where they were going. Never before had she ridden on a motorcycle before this night; Had it not been for the loud noise of his bike to keep her rooted to her reality, Ema would feel as though she was flying. She dared a small smile to creep across her lips at the new rush of freedom.

As she subconsciously rest her chin on Klavier's shoulder, she watched the handsome driver of the motorcycle and her smile fell. He was a rock star. She loved science. He was day, she was night. It was impossible to be any more opposite from this man. Yet there was no disputing their chemistry. Yes, she could feel it. This was one lesson no science class could teach her.

* * *

?

* * *

_Sir, I apologize for contacting you this way. I am aware of the risk, but this could not wait._

_This had better be worth it, Mr. Bennett. _

Four photos received. Open?

_Excellent work. My suspicions have been confirmed. I appreciate your patience and hard work, Mr. Bennett. We will be in contact soon._

* * *

The road ahead was long and straight, almost infinite, with hills lining the scenery in the visible distance. It was scarce to see a home, let alone a business, this far away from the city. They seemed to have been traveling for a while and Ema started to question just where he was taking her. Perhaps to another town? Her eyebrows lowered in thought. Of course, she had never considered his fame. It was likely he was planning a night out in a lesser known part of the county. She had only hoped this would end well, as she would be forced to return home in the same exact way she was; with her body molded to his and her arms tightly wrapped around his torso.

She dared a peek at Klavier's face, only to see his sober gaze. His hands were tightening and loosening on the handles of his motorcycle. Was he nervous? Ema was taken aback. A rock star, nervous over _her_? She had never seen him like this in all their times together. There had to have been something else bothering him. "Are you okay?" She had asked.

His sober gaze, almost instantly, melted away. "Just enjoying the ride, fraulein."

Ema was not convinced. She watched his tendons rise from his hands as he tightened his grip on the handles.

"Are you okay?" He returned the question.

"Yeah, great… Just a little confused."

"About what?"

"Where we are going."

"You'll see."

Ugh! Why must he always insist on being full of surprises? Defeated, she lowered her chin to his shoulder, to which he released a large sigh. Ema was not ready to give up yet; she was filled with a new determination to figure him out.


	8. Chapter 8

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you survived the story so far. I want to warn you that this is where things start getting darker. The fate of Klavier's parents was inspired by my husband's life story; his birth mother was murdered when he was seven months old and his birth father was convicted.

* * *

Klavier's motorcycle eventually eased left, onto a dirt road and continued through a dark and heavily wooded forest. Ema blankly eyed these unfamiliar surroundings; What in the hell? She doubted a fancy restaurant or a movie theater would be in business all the way out here. Her toes rubbed on the inside of her flats and she frowned. She was not dressed for an occasion like hiking. Though, noting Klavier's outfit, neither was he.

After a mile or so, he pulled from the rarely traveled road onto a long driveway, located up another hill and discreetly hidden from the path. Ema turned to look at the road behind her; she doubted that she would have cellular phone service if, in the small chance, it turned out that Klavier was a madman. She blamed all of the horrific crime scenes she had witnessed for having such a thought. Though a shallow and egotistical man, perhaps unbearable at times, she declared him harmless. If she was safe with anyone, it would be with him. At least, that was what she hoped.

Looking ahead, the subtle lighting inside a log cabin greeted them through the small gaps between the trees. Her heart stopped with a single thud, as she now had more questions than there were answers. She kept her gaze on the small home and did not realize that the motorcycle was stopped and turned off.

"Fraulein..."

There was no word to describe the utter terror she felt. What was he up to?

"Fraulein?"

Oh, shit. Oh shit, Oh, shit.

"Hallo?"

"Huh?" She broke her confused gaze towards the cabin and examined the remainder of her surroundings. All she saw was the wide clearing, surrounded by the dense woods; tall trees with lush, green leaves shielded them from the fading light, and the grass on the property was neatly maintained. "Oh." Fumbling with her bag, she allowed herself off of the motorbike and quietly checked to see if she had cellular service. None. She released a shaking breath and placed her phone back in her purse. "Do you live here?"

"Not exactly," Klavier pulled himself off of the motorcycle and started to walk east of the cabin. Feeling as though she had no choice in the matter, she followed him. During the short walk through the trees, towards the edge of the hill, he was silent and emotionless. Ema could not dispute that this was a peaceful property. She simply wished she knew Klavier's plans.

He finally stopped and looked ahead to the new clearing before them, with brilliant orange and red hues warming him and leaving his face and body glistening. Ema looked forward and blinked.

Ahead was the beautiful sunset, with hills rolling into an endless meadow, filled with colorful wildflowers and bushes, as far as her naked eye could see. Just at the edge of her line of sight revealed what appeared to be a small cluster of houses, which, too, basked in the sunset's rays. The clean, pleasant breeze gently rustled their surroundings. Ema had never witnessed a view like this in all her years. "Wow," was all she could whisper.

"This is where I come for inspiration." Klavier's voice was low, much more than normal. "I thought you would like to stargaze, since you are fan of science, ja?"

"I'd... sure!" She had replied, though he did not seem to notice. The prosecutor's gaze was empty. Blank. She watched him slowly sit down on the bank and she joined him, as she did not want to make a fuss about the possibility of getting her clothes dirty. They sat in silence for a while, breathing in the gentle fragrances from the wildflowers that embraced them. Ema, though it was a beautiful view, kept her gaze towards Klavier. It seemed as though the longer they sat there, the more his previous happiness and pride depleted.

"This property belonged to my parents," he finally said, as though Ema was asking him what he was thinking. "My older brother inherited it, initially, but gave it to me when I turned eighteen."

Ema raised her eyebrows. "Your brother?"

"Kristoph Gavin." When he did not hear a response, he looked to her curious gaze and she slowly shook her head. "He was a defense attorney. More of the traditional sort. I never did understand him."

"Does he practice in another city?"

"He's… permanently retired." Ema watched him slowly lean back onto the grass. "He is in Los Angeles prison."

Ema did not want to push for details, as she considered the long ride back to civilization. "I… see. My sister's in prison too, for forging evidence. Long story," she grinned to herself. "She will be out in a few months." And she, too, lied backwards beside him.

Klavier smiled towards the sky. "Lucky."

She turned to look at him. There seemed to have been a hint of pain in his eyes. "Is Kristoph …?"

"He is serving two life sentences for murder."

Ema cringed. "I'm so sorry."

He turned to look at her. "Don't be." Their two gazes intertwined. The glow from the quickly-fading sunset intensified his eye color, where Ema was close enough to see small flicks of hazel in his irises. "Tell me about your family."

She sucked in a painful breath. "I… only have my sister. My parents died in a car accident when I was five."

This had piqued his curiosity. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Shaking her head, she mustered a weak smile. "It's all right. I don't remember much."

"Mutter… Vater… they're also gone. I was eight." He swallowed.

"What happened?" She regretted the question the moment it passed her lips. Though pain clearly twisted his features, he was beautiful… so beautiful. Ema could not look away.

"Murder suicide," he finally replied. "My father was an alcoholic. He couldn't handle the guilt of his rage. Kristoph tried to stop him, but..." he trailed off.

"Wow..." her lips parted. "That's… I'm so sorry."

"I am only in control of my own destiny, fraulein," A smile crept across his lips.

Ema was not sure what he meant by this, though she was surprised by his revelations. For the first time, she felt sorry for Klavier. The news that his upbringing was short from the luxurious, lavish life that he currently lived was hard to imagine. He had experienced pain, true pain, just as she had.

Her body rolled to the side to fully face him, absorbing his tragic revelations and watching his newly relaxed stare towards the brilliant colors in the sky above them. He seemed almost at peace. She wanted to reach out and touch him. Brush away the strands of hair that lied on his face. Just touch him. She inched slightly closer to his body, more than she dared. "Tell me what you're thinking."

Klavier blinked towards the sky in silence. She watched him curiously, but with concern. After a few moments, he finally turned to her. "I'm thinking of how you are the only one I've told my troubles to. The only one I have ever brought here, ja?"

Ema was not expecting this kind of response. "Right. Out of all the women and crazed fans, I'm the only one."

"A prosecutor's job is to expose the truth. I may be many things," He finally rolled his body into her direction. She could not suppress her gasp of surprise; she could feel the heat of his body radiating, warming hers. "But I'm no liar. Especially to you."

"In that case… why me?" She stared deep into his eyes, just inches from her face.

"Isn't it obvious, fraulein?" he whispered, cupping her chin and gazing to her lips. She closed her eyes, embracing his gentle touch. There was not a single imperfection about this man.

"Klavier," she breathed, and he leaned forward to kiss her. The way he would look into her eyes, the way that time always stood still when he was near had proven that she was wrong. She released her breath and allowed herself to smile.

Without any more hesitation, he claimed her lips with a passion that Ema had always yearned to experience. Just as before, his lips were soft but so full and warm. The chemistry jolted her body, like electricity, leaving goosebumps rising on her arms. The wall she had built to protect herself had crumbled and she allowed her instincts to consume her, swallow her whole. Her arms wrapped around Klavier's body; a moan had vibrated from his lips to hers and she tensed, for the odd and unfamiliar desire had roared to life.

Whatever would happen on this night, she would never regret.


	9. Chapter 9

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

A/N: LEMON WARNING. If you do not read such things, please skip to Chapter 10.

* * *

Giving herself away that night had felt so right.

Klavier had lifted her into his arms and carried her into the cabin, where he gently placed her on his bed and lied beside her to take her into more kisses. Their bodies, tangled into one, remained inseparable, never to part again; he wanted to belong to her, and only her, and there was nowhere he would rather be. Just slightly was he able to indulge in his desire. A moan hummed in his throat when his lips traced her porcelain jawline. "Please tell me to stop if you're not comfortable," he murmured.

She tilted her head back in silence to grant him access to her bare neck. The scent of his hair drifted beneath her nose and her desire grew stronger. Wilder. She drew in a sharp breath when his lips embraced her exposed collarbones and his fingers slipped beneath the strap of her bra. Daring herself, she removed her shirt and reached between her breasts to unclasp the fabric and expose her chest. He did not watch her do this, though; instead, he surfaced to take in her angelic face. "So beautiful," he whispered before kissing her again.

Craning his body over hers, he removed his own shirt to expose his sun-kissed torso, toned with the hints of his athletic strength. She bit her lip at this sight; he too, was beautiful. Heavenly. What had grabbed her attention was a diagonal groove of a scar on the top of his abdomen, about five inches in length. "Can I trust you?" She had asked.

He lifted her hand and kissed her delicate fingers. "I belong to you."

"Make love to me."

Her command was breathless. His desire was fueled. She wanted him.

"As you wish."

Yes! He would do anything this beautiful woman asked for. Kissing her lips, he removed her bra. Her body was so inviting, and he knew that there was never a chance he could get enough of her. It was not just her body that he craved; he wanted her heart. Her soul. Her mind. Yes. All of her.

The brush of his lips trailed to her bare chest and he took one of her small, pink mounds into his mouth. Her back arched and she gasped at the feeling of his warm tongue, grazing over her sensitive skin. He settled his body between her legs, longing to give attention to every inch of her. Keeping his eyes on her, he moved to the other ripened mound and took it into his mouth, allowing his hips to gently grind against her center.

Her moan, almost a whimper, caught in her throat as he unbuttoned her denim pants with a single hand; There was no turning back. She double checked, triple checked the logic behind her sudden change of heart. This was dangerous. Truly dangerous. The many misunderstandings between them had nearly destroyed her, yet she thrust herself to him again, as an entirely different person in whom she did not recognize. Would he hurt her, after this sacrifice she was making, her will to love would exist no longer.

Sliding a hand inside of her jeans, he ran a finger over her dampened underwear, a soft but thin fabric. Her breathing hitched when his fingers crept beneath the hem and touched her center. Klavier's mouth had let go of her breast and he leaned his face against her neck, just underneath the lobe of her ear. Fondling her sensitive nub and her tight entrance carefully and meeting her resistance, she cried out. He bit his lip, watching her expressions. Oblivious to her, he blinked. Was she a virgin? This, too, was new to him. Even the woman he had lost his virginity to had prior experience.

He was fueled with a new determination to make her feel good. So good.

Taking her pale stomach with a single kiss, he pulled his body away long enough to pull her pants and underwear away with one quick move. At the sight of her blush, his features softened and he smiled. "You're so beautiful."

Covering their bodies with his large, soft blanket, he had disappeared underneath and teasingly left an upward trail of gentle kisses, before he took her wet center with his mouth. She could not contain the loud, sharp gasp that had filled her body. The contact, initially, was uncomfortable, but she found herself addicted to his work quickly. He was so talented, so skilled. How had she deprived herself from this experience before? So much she forced herself to miss out on, for the sake of her stubbornness. Her toes curled as she stifled another cry of pleasure, feeling Klavier's face vibrate against her sweet spot.

"Fuck!" She breathed. His tongue was replaced with a curious finger, rubbing against her gently. With his other hand, he inserted two fingers inside of her to rub another spot in which she did not recognize. This time, she could not suppress her moans. She bit her bottom lip and her tensed legs started to shake, which encouraged him to continue. Without exiting her, he took her sensitive nub back into her mouth, with his moans joining in with hers. Her fingernails dug into his bed sheets; She had never seen him treat a woman the way he had her; perhaps he was telling the truth.

In the waves of her pleasure, growing stronger and more intense, she was lost. Her ache, which had clawed at her conscience for so long, had made this moment worth it. She was not simply another one night stand to Klavier. No. She meant much more. She had finally seen it now. What a fool Ema was for thinking, or believing, otherwise.

Without her knowledge, Klavier had undid his belt and removed his denim pants from underneath the bedding, and soon, he surfaced to take her into his gaze once more. "You're sure?"

Panting and shaking, Ema nodded.

"Close your eyes."

Without question, she followed his order and he lined his hips with hers. Slowly, he eased himself inside of her, inch by inch, resisting with all in him not to lose control. He had to be gentle with her at all costs. A wince was visible in her face as she resisted a cry when he started to move inside of her slowly; However long it took Ema to adjust to him, Klavier was willing to wait. She was worth it. He kissed her neck and her collarbones lovingly and with comfort, and soon, her features relaxed, allowing him to continue.

With their bodies grinding together slowly, their hands laced together above her head. They had molded together with such perfection; Ema never expected how good joining with a man would be, let alone Klavier Gavin. Biting her lip, she wrapped her legs around his hips to pull him in deeper. The grips on her hands tightened. Oh, how he loved this woman. He was finally hers, after yearning for her for so long. Neither knew what the future held for them; all they knew is that they wanted to find out together.

He quickened the pace, unable to control himself any longer. Keeping his eyes on her, his lips traced her wrist and her arm exquisitely. "I've always loved you, Ema," he whispered.

Between her breaths, she looked to him with hooded eyes. Had he said what she thought he did? Before she had much time to reflect on this confession, he plunged deeper into her and thrust with all his strength. Ema had given him peace. The only peace he had felt in his chaotic life. There was nothing greater that she could ever give him. Their time together was ultimately her decision, though he vowed to give her all he could. Ema was one to be cherished. Any moment with her was worth anything.

Her back arched and she cried out at his impact, both physically and emotionally. She had left herself exposed and vulnerable to her enemy, though he was never one to begin with. Ema unraveled beneath him, unknowingly nearing her orgasm. Without warning, he pulled her body atop his thighs and she straddled him, sending her deeper into this unknown bliss. "Kla-Klavier..." her voice was shaking.

"Let go," he murmured against her jawline.

She closed her eyes; was he aware that he had taken her virginity on this night? This had no longer mattered to her, as her body tensed in his hold and she gasped, pushing herself over the edge and drowning in her first orgasm. Her body clenched around his being and she clung to him, inhaling sharp breaths. Klavier grunted, and too, rested his head on her shoulder as he exploded deep inside of her body, filling her with all of him. The two collapsed onto the bed, Klavier's body atop hers, trembling and sweating from his release. "Ema… shit..." He breathed.

Attempting to catch her breath, Ema slowly opened her eyes and viewed the wooden ceiling and its large fixture, dark like the remainder of the room. This night had been overwhelming, and she was unsure what to dwell over first. She turned her face to the side and met Klavier's gaze, breathless but smiling, as though he, too, had finally obtained what he had been searching for all along.

For the longest while, the two had stared into one another's eyes, lying beneath the soft, cool bedsheets; along with their bodies, their souls, also, were exposed. All had been wagered in this game of chance and she had prayed she would never grow to regret this night, for the fate of her heart and her sanity was placed into his hands. She could not deny the risks, especially to one with a record such as his.

"Did you mean what you said?" her brows slightly lowered, deep in thought.

"Which part?" His grin widened.

"Where you said that you always..."

He paused, searching her every feature. "With every beat of my heart, Fraulein."

To his surprise, she neared and kissed him again.


	10. Chapter 10

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

A/N: After this chapter, things are going to take a VERY dark turn, and will remain dark for [pretty much] the remainder of the story. It's what I like to write. Enjoy!

* * *

_Tuesday, April 2nd – 9:04 a.m._

_Los Angeles Police Department, Homicide Division_

* * *

Ema smiled to herself as she opened her email's inbox. With her body aching from their lovemaking and the reminder of Klavier's gentle touch, she returned to her desk the following morning with a response to her inquiry of DNA matches to John Doe, who was found by the river; his sample had been processed through various genealogy databases and his strongest match was a first cousin. Unfortunately, she had been adopted and, too, had been attempting to locate any biological family. Ema sent a quick reply with an order to include her in the continuous search.

Another email from forensics advised that the mysterious powder on the gentleman's nose from Grove Park mall's parking lot had tested positive for cocaine, shifting the hypothesis to a drug-related murder. Ema shook her head, suspecting this all along. The final message for her was a meeting this afternoon to arrange a press conference, asking the public for information about John Doe. Perhaps she should ask Klavier to style her hair, she thought sarcastically.

Munching on her snackoos, she sat back and reveled in her good mood. She could not remember the last time she was this happy. To sweeten the deal, her colleagues had left her alone; it was a wonderful start to her day.

"Someone's happy."

Ema's gaze shot to the doorway, revealing Klavier, smiling egotistically from ear to ear. She playfully glared in his direction as she watched him walk to her desk slowly, with his chained belt clanking. The sound was quiet yet distinct; she would always know when he was close, even when he was not in her line of sight.

"I never realized how much of an effect my snackoos had on me," her voice was thick with sarcasm while popping another snack in her mouth. She watched him closely as he leaned over her desk and stole a piece, purposefully moaning as he chewed. Her thighs squeezed together as he looked deep into her eyes and sucked the residue off on his thumb.

"Sugar is bad for you, Fraulein." He leaned closer and took her into a kiss. "But as sweet as you are, how can I resist?"

Momentarily, she basked in this affection. "_Prosecutor __Gavin_, we are at work."

"So?"

"SO?" she laughed. "I have only been here for an hour and you're already in my office."

"It's funny. You couldn't get enough of me last night."

Her cheeks heated into a crimson blush as she broke her gaze to look at her computer and resume working. Klavier watched her thoughtfully with a smile on his face. The way she brushed a few strands of her dark hair out of her eyes. The redness of her cheeks. To touch that face, her soft skin, left him swooning. She was so simplistic with her ways, and most of all, honest. Her presence had made him feel so normal, as though he was never well known to begin with. He always enjoyed the spotlight and the attention, though he missed having an average life. "How about another date this weekend?" He watched her look to him with curiosity. "Drinks, dancing, a movie, or all three, ja?"

Her eyes twinkled in joy. "You're hopeless."

"I'll take that as a yes," he leaned in one more time for a tender kiss to her cheek. "Until next time we meet, Fraulein."

The door had shut behind him and Ema released an exhilarated breath; It was impossible to hide her large smile. To admit her feelings to herself was quite the challenge, but the twinge of discomfort slowly eased. She looked at the calendar and realized that her visitation with Lana was this Friday. She had a lot of explaining to do, considering she had five voicemails from her sister. It was then that she recalled Klavier's mystery brother… what was his name? Kristoph? Perhaps Lana knew of him.

After returning home from a rather tiring day from work, Ema had checked her mailbox to see a small package with no return address. While sitting on her couch, she opened the parcel to reveal a small bottle of luxury fragrance. The packaging was exquisite, in the shape of a clear tea pot with a golden liquid swishing inside.

_Fur mein Fraulein_, the note had read in elegant cursive that was strikingly similar to Klavier's.

"You really_ are_ hopeless," she had said to herself, inhaling the sweet, floral scent.

* * *

_Friday, April 5th – 12:31 p.m._

_Los Angeles Prison – Visitor's Department_

* * *

"It's good to see you, sis!"

The room was cold and bare, with painted, concrete walls and equally plain floors. The two sisters were one of a dozen during this scheduled visit. Ema held the black phone tightly to her ear and beamed happily through the thick, glass barricade that separated her from her sister every other weekend.

"I miss you," Ema swallowed.

"Aw, don't be like that. I'll be out soon. And then I can try one of those … what were they called?"

"Snackoos," Ema laughed.

"What a bizarre name!" Lana joined in with her sister's giggles and they shared a pause. "I miss you too. Now, tell me all about your date from the other night."

Ema squeezed her eyes shut with her smile widening. "He treats me like a queen, sis. Three weeks of flowers, expensive jewelry, and even a bottle of perfume. You will love him."

"So who was it?" Lana leaned towards the glass. "Spill it!"

Ema paused. "Klavier Gavin. He's a prosecutor." Lana had smiled, visibly joining in with her sister's happiness, yet her eyes revealed a small glimmer of doubt. Ema had noticed the grip on Lana's black phone had tightened, slightly whitening her knuckles. "We are going on another date this weekend."

"Dating a rock star must be tough."

"He doesn't tour anymore; only special appearances once in a while." Ema kept her eyes on Lana's grip on the phone. "Sis? Is something wrong?"

"Has he mentioned Kristoph at all?"

"Kristoph?" Ema's smile fell. "Actually… he did the other night, though I have never heard of -"

"What did he say?"

"Only that he was a former defense attorney and he is in prison for murdering two people."

Lana was silenced. Ema had debated on pressing her for any more information, though a part of her did not want to know. She smoothed her hair with her free hand and looked her right, where a visitor was arguing with an inmate.

"Em..." Ema turned back to her sister when she heard her voice. "I'm sure Klavier is a great person, just by what you have told me. But please, I ask you. Be careful."

Ema's face twisted to a fake hopeful smile. "I will. Klavier would never do something like that. He has too much to lose."

"No one thought Kristoph would do such things either."

She grimaced. "What exactly did he do?"

Her elder sister stared at her sister for a long moment, as though she was contemplating what to tell her. "You shouldn't bring this up to Klavier, as I don't know how willing he is to let the facts be known. It's a topic that I'm not too comfortable speaking of." Ema had leaned forward with deepening concern. "Kristoph was the reason that Phoenix Wright lost his ability to practice all those years ago. He used Klavier as a pawn to present forged evidence in a case. He was afraid the forgers would talk, so he poisoned them."

"What? Why did he frame Phoenix!?"

Lana paused, debating if she should go further. "It's said that he was intimidated by Mr. Wright's success. This may be partially true, though in reality..." She pursed her lips. "He was angry that Phoenix rejected him as a lover."

"You can't be serious," Ema gasped. "How do you know this?"

"The walls have ears, sis."


	11. Chapter 11

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

_Friday, April 5th – 5:56 p.m._

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

Wow. Another date.

Just like their previous nights together, Ema's stomach was twisted into knots. Even tonight, she was not too sure what to expect. Still, Klavier was one to be full of surprises. While in the shower, she sighed. Life had surely made a turn for the interesting, and she would be lying to herself if she said she did not enjoy it.

After her hair was washed and dried, Ema had removed her towel and changed into a skimpy bra and matching bikini underwear. It was always best to be prepared, she had thought to herself as she grabbed the new teapot fragrance and spritzed it on her neck and wrists. The scent reminded her of their first kiss on the hill; The wildflowers had smelled so similar, as though they were picked and placed into this bottle.

She then took her chocolate brown nail lacquer into her hand, along with the fingernail polish remover and cotton swabs she had purchased earlier that day and entered the living room. After some research, scientific of course, she felt somewhat confident that she could make her hands look presentable. Perhaps she should take more pride in her appearance. Sitting on her couch, she started with her toes, brushing the beautiful color over each of her nails. "Shit," she had accidentally smeared the product on the third toe and quickly reached for a polish remover-soaked cotton swab to fix it. This shade would go great with her open-toed, beige heels that she was planning on wearing. Finishing up the nails on her other foot, she rested her chin on her knee momentarily._ Klavier._

Toying with the lid of the nail polish, she permitted herself to swoon over his beauty and allure. In a sense, she did not feel that this was truly her reality. A glimmerous fop, such as him, and the beautiful women that she was sure he had taken over the years, in addition to all of those sluts who had used his dressing room like a revolving door. Yet he wanted to be hers? A woman with whom he shared nothing in common?

… With the apparent exception of having a sibling in the same prison, and experiencing the sudden loss of both parents.

Goosebumps rose on Ema's pale skin as she began to paint her fingernails. She could never bring herself to mention Kristoph, though she did possess a natural curiosity about their relationship. Did he visit him like Ema had Lana? Cleaning a small smudge on her left pinky, she dipped the brush into the lacquer and began the other hand.

After she finished her work, she fanned her hands in the air to quickly dry the product to her nails, with excitement invading her senses. A slight wave of nausea began to exaggerate the butterflies in her stomach, yet she paid no mind and returned to the bathroom to fix her hair and get dressed. Her outfit was an elegant brown tank top with cream lace and a pair of matching capris. She had hoped she was not under-dressing for the occasion. Knowing Klavier, it could very well be possible.

The nausea had strengthened and she paused after putting her top on. Placing her hand over her mouth, she attempted to calm her nerves, though there was no change to her physical condition. Feeling the wave slowly subside, she returned to straighten her hair and style it into her typical mini ponytail.

Before she was aware, she was bending over her toilet, violently vomiting. This was ridiculous; Klavier did not have this much of an effect, did he? Between heaves, she calculated the last time she had made love. No, pregnancy was out of the question, as not only would it be too soon, but she had an IUD placed a year ago.

She finally stopped and flushed the toilet, feeling the room spin. She did not want to cancel this date, though there was no choice for her. Dread weighed heavy on her heart and her conscience; of all the times to catch the stomach flu. Fighting her weak body into a stand, she leaned against the wall and attempted to make her way into her living room, where her cell phone rested on the coffee table. She would call Klavier and pray that he did not assume she was abandoning him.

The last thing she remembered was feeling a coldness against her face before she was sent into an empty, dark unconsciousness.

* * *

_6:27 p.m._

* * *

Smiling from ear to ear, Klavier approached Ema's front door and knocked impatiently. A magical night was planned for the both of them; he had made reservations for the best table available at a restaurant, followed with a night of drinks at a club he knew she would enjoy. He was ready to scoop her into his arms and never let her go.

Silence. He confirmed the time on his wristwatch before knocking again; he had told her he would pick her up at six thirty. Sure, he was three minutes early, but this would not stop her from answering the door. Unless she was naked, of course. Rubbing the back of his neck in confusion, he awkwardly looked to the neighborhood in which she lived, where not a single person was outside.

"Fraulein?" He knocked again. "I'm here!"

The silence started to deafen him. He looked to her parking space and saw her car, so he knew that the odds were likely she was here. With his concern growing, his gaze fixed on the door knob in contemplation of entering without permission. Perhaps Ema was angry with him. Regardless, to ensure her safety, he had to take that risk, as he grasped the knob and slowly turned it to open the front door.

"I'm coming in!" He warned, allowing himself into the home. "Cute place," He murmured to himself. A scent of a wonderful perfume had trickled underneath his nose. Yes, she was here, without a doubt. "Ema?" There was no sign of her. This was beginning to concern him.

When he turned to face the bathroom, he found her, face down, on the floor. "Shit. Ema!"

In an instant, he was knelt beside her, flipping her frail body over into his arms. He checked her breathing and her pulse, both of which were faint. "Ema! Fraulein, wake up!" he shook her. "Ema!" Quickly growing frantic, he reached for his cell phone with the intention to call for an ambulance. Considering her faint vitals, he paused before doing so. No, there would be no time. She needed medical attention immediately. Tears of desperation threatened to escape from his eyes when he tightened his hold onto her.

He quickly scooped her into his arms and he rushed her out to his sports car, placing her unconscious body onto the passenger seat. "Please wake up, Ema. Please," he begged her before rushing to take the driver's seat with the full intention of speeding to the hospital.

He had driven through stop signs and red lights, nearly crashing twice, yet he cared not about any traffic violations. He would deal with those later, would his actions alert the police. The fear and adrenaline pumped through his veins as he fended off the horrific thoughts of her death. The entire time, he had shaken her arm and tapped her face, anything to try to alert her. "Fraulein…" he gritted his teeth. What in the hell happened to her?

He finally arrived at the hospital, and without hesitation, he sped his car to the valet parking and he jumped out to retrieve her body and hurry inside the emergency department. The valet attendant, concerned, had taken his keys without a single word.

"We need help!" He yelled as he ran through the double doors. Soon, nurses were rushing to her aid as two more had disappeared, presumably to grab equipment.

"Do you know what happened?" One nurse asked urgently while removing her stethoscope from around her neck to check her heartbeat. "Very faint. We're losing her. Josie, hurry with the cot!"

Losing her? The nurse's words echoed and warped in his mind. He couldn't lose her. He had waited too long for this opportunity with Ema, and he would not allow her to be ripped away from him. He brushed her soft cheek with his fingers, with tears blurring his vision. "Ema… she can't die."

Another nurse, short with black hair, and two taller, male nurses, had returned with a cot and Klavier helped place Ema's lifeless body onto it, only to watch her be wheeled away with medical staff urgently working over her. "Sir, I need to ask you some questions. Please come with me." Another medical staff member had approached him and ushered him into a separate room, though he was unaware of this. His only focus was on the wooden double doors where they had taken Ema through. Where she disappeared from his sight. Ema. She was all he could think of. She was all he wanted. The medical staff of the hospital were wearing various shades of blue and teal; male, female, short, tall, all had looked the same to him at that moment. His body tingled with unbearable fear and grief.

"Her name is Ema Skye… homicide detective..." he breathed without noticing if any medical staff was paying attention to his words. "I'm Klavier Gavin. I'm her … companion."


	12. Chapter 12

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

A/N: This chapter, and chapter 19 was the hardest chapters I've ever had to write. This story literally ripped my heart out, to be honest. I almost want to cry thinking about it. I am super emotionally invested in this story, and I hope you all are too.

* * *

_Friday, April 5th – 6:59 p.m._

_Fairview Medical Center_

* * *

"Next of kin?"

Klavier blinked; his numb mind and body was in a state of shock. He merely stared ahead with no focus.

"Mr. Gavin?"

"Lana Skye. Her older sister. Los Angeles Prison."

"Oh..." the nurse blinked. "Does she have any other relatives to your knowledge?"

"Nein." He squeezed his eyes shut and released a shaking breath.

Eventually, he was placed in the waiting room with the promise he would be alerted when Ema was stabilized. Until then, this was where he would be tortured with the unknown. Though he received several looks from curious women and starstruck fans nearby, he did not care. He paced the floor like a madman, and bit his bottom lip with his perfect teeth until it nearly bled.

Lana had crossed his mind and he started to think. He envisioned a woman, physically similar to Ema, lying in a prison cell with complete oblivion to the events occurring in the outside world. She had never spoken ill of her sister, and he was made aware before that they had a close relationship. He looked to his cell phone and obtained a specific phone number, knowing that this painful phone call was necessary; Not only did she have a right to know of Ema's ill health, this could be the only real key for him to make any further discoveries of her condition, since he was not a relative. Pressing talk, he closed his eyes. "Mr. Jenkins. Yes, this is Prosecutor Gavin. I have an emergency."

* * *

_11:14 p.m._

* * *

After what seemed to be a never-ending wait, Klavier was finally allowed to see Ema, who was located on the top floor of the hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. He had taken the elevator and walked in silence beside a nurse, as his hands continued to shake; He fought, with every shred of strength he possessed, to remain a solid faith with this medical center to save her and bring her back to him, where she belonged. Every inch of him, too, was hers, and no life was worth living without her.

Pausing just outside the room, he looked to the plain door's frame, bracing himself for what he might see on the other side. It was when he entered the room that he had lost every bit of breath from his body, witnessing his beloved attached to all of these colorful wires, to monitors with readings that he could not interpret, and a contraption in her mouth that prevented him from kissing those beautiful, soft lips.

Klavier sunk down into the uncomfortable seat beside her and took her hand, which had an IV taped to it. No words could be uttered from his lips. It was surreal seeing Ema in such a grave state; What he would not do to see the twinkle in her eyes, or her grumpy expression when she was frustrated. That laugh. That smile. His chin quivered as he closed his eyes, with his seeping tears wetting the perfect frame of his eyelashes.

His blurred gaze trailed to her lifeless hand and noticed her exquisite, freshly painted nails. She had done this, just for this night? A broken smile had crossed his lips, returning his stare to her peaceful, sleeping face. He had brushed away a few strands of her dark chestnut hair and he kissed her temple tenderly. "I love you, Fraulein." His face met with her shoulder, resisting strong sobs.

"As of right now, we are unable to wake her," The nurse informed him. "We are attempting to keep her stabilized until the results of her tests come back."

Klavier nodded, continuing to fondle her hair. "I contacted the prison and left word for Lana."

The nurse had broken his trance by handing him a box of tissues to place on the small table beside him. "Is she your…?"

He paused with a hopeful smile. "You could say that, ja? With the wits of a pistol but with a heart of a delicate flower, she is a true sight to behold."

"We will do everything we can to get to the root of the problem, Mr. Gavin. You have my word. Please let me know if I can get you anything."

"Thank you, nurse."

* * *

_Saturday, April 6th - 5:39 a.m._

* * *

He never left her side. Not even once.

Klavier managed to find a way to rest his head near her shoulder, with a preference to breathe in her fragrance instead of the chemical smell of the hospital. The monotonous beeping of her monitors had lulled him into light, sporadic bouts of sleep. Her body remained warm, despite the hospital room's cool temperature, which comforted him a great deal. His desperation for her survival, though, continued to crush him.

Smelling her sweet hair, he nuzzled against her shoulder. This was a nightmare that he never knew he had a fear for; the two should be tangled in his fresh bed sheets at this moment, dreaming of their incredible night together. He was supposed to wake her up with a surprise of chocolate snackoo donuts, her favorite. Ema was supposed to be in his arms. Not here. Not in a hospital bed fighting for her life. Klavier would give anything to be in her position; the grief, the heartache, the insurmountable pain was too much to bear.

Nurses had been in and out, taking records of her vitals and retrieving vials of her blood, as if she was a human science experiment. This had aggravated him, yet he knew that in order for her to return to him, it was necessary. He stroked her hair lovingly, talking her through the blood draws as if she was awake. This sight, though, had broken the heart of every medical staff member who would witness it.

"Mr. Gavin."

He looked to the source of the voice and saw another nurse standing in the door's frame, summoning him. He quickly looked to Ema and kissed her on the forehead. "I will return, mein liebe."

His muscles ached in discomfort and stiffness as he stood from the chair and neared the door. In doing so, his view was exposed to the hallway, where he heard a gasp of surprise. Klavier turned and saw Lana Skye, Ema's older sister, in street clothes. And she was alone! He blinked; Though she was considerably paler, with lighter hair and eyes, Ema strongly resembled her, just as he had imagined. "Oh, Lana."

"Mr. Gavin?" Tears filled her eyes as she finally had the chance to study him. She, too, was shocked at the striking resemblance between Klavier and Kristoph. "H-have you been here all this time?"

"From the moment I found her."

And to his shock, she had taken him into a hug. "Thank you. Thank you for protecting her. I owe you my life." Klavier embraced Ema's sister with his eyes squeezed shut, resisting more tears from falling. "Now I know you have a good heart."

Stepping out of her way, he allowed her into the quiet room. This was not the way he wanted to become acquainted with Ema's only family. "Sis…?" Lana squeaked, nearly collapsing at the foot of her bed in the rupture of her uncontrollable sobs. Klavier, though, offered a consoling hand to her shoulder and helped her to a stand when she was ready, and he offered her his seat to sit beside her. "What happened?"

"I wish I knew," He shrugged, hopeless. Blinking away her tears, Lana watched him tenderly stroke Ema's hair from the other side of the hospital bed. "Fraulein, deine Schwester ist hier." This vision, too, had hurt her, as she could feel the pain and heartache radiating from him. It was saddening to witness just how different he was from his elder brother.

The two talked, cried, and laughed all morning in that hospital room, as though they were lifelong friends. Klavier learned that Lana was granted emergency furlough for seventy two hours and she intended to stay with Ema for every moment that the hospital allowed. It was almost therapeutic to have her with him and he was relieved to know that the conversation with the warden worked. Klavier noticed many similarities between the two sisters. Though Ema had more of a short fuse, Lana seemed more relaxed and harder to anger.

A doctor, young and tan, had walked in with a clipboard and shook Klavier's and Ema's hands and introduced himself as Dr. Bone. Klavier and Lana listened to him intently as he described that Ema's blood work levels were normal, that everything appeared fine at this point, with the exception of one discovery.

"What is it…?" Lana asked.

"Miss Skye, had Mr. Gavin not arrived with her when he did, she likely would not have survived." He paused. "We … erm... found a potentially lethal amount of Bhykanol Futathine in her system; she is a victim of poisoning."

* * *

A/N: Shout out to Elisabeth for helping me with the German translations! Thank you SO much!


	13. Chapter 13

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

* * *

Ema Skye was poisoned.

An attempt was made on her life.

Klavier's pupils shrunk drastically in his seething rage, which heated every inch of his body like a spreading fire. He did not notice Lana's gaze, hardened like stone, fixated on him in an automatic suspicion. "I demand an investigation. I want these results turned over to authorities right away."

"We will, sir. A criminal investigation is imminent. In the meantime, we have to run more tests to determine just how the poison entered her system."

"Will she recover…?" Lana questioned.

"There is a fairly good chance for survival. However, we have to confirm there is no damage to her major organs. At this point, the outlook is favorable."

Lana's gaze slightly softened with relief; Klavier's face, fixed to the floor beneath him, was reddened, and trembled as though he was a volcano on the verge of eruption. His fists were clenched until his knuckles were white, with his fingers digging deep into the skin of his palms. What little sanity there was left desperately clung to his judgment; this investigation had to be completed the right way, he had kept telling himself. He could not allow himself to act like his brother did. Yet, when it come to Ema, did he have enough strength within to exercise restraint?

He stiffly flexed his fingers after a long moment, only to grip his long, blonde hair in frustration and squeeze his eyes shut. His will had been ripped in two; he felt the itching, intense urgency to investigate this and face the perpetrator himself, though he knew he could not leave Ema's side. He could not lose her. He could not let her die. Every moment with this woman was precious, like a treasure to be cherished forever. Even if it meant rotting away in this hospital at his personal expense.

"...Gavin..."

Red. All he saw was red. His mouth watered for the perpetrator's death at his hands. He wanted them to pay.

"...Mr. Gavin..."

She had to live. She had to.

Lana had gripped his arms and shook him; He finally returned to reality and looked to the woman knelt beneath his gaze. "Mr. Gavin!"

"_Entschuldigung – __er… sorry__,_" He sucked in a breath.

"I'm worried about you, too. When was the last time you've slept? Or ate?" When he did not give her an answer, she continued. "You have done so much for my sister and I am forever in your debt. I think you should go get some rest. My furlough lasts three days. I will keep an eye on her."

He looked to Lana with agony and grief, searching her eyes for answers. To leave Ema in this place would be the most painful thing he had to do, yet he knew this was no time to focus on his needs. Reaching for a pen and notepad nearby, he wrote his phone number neatly for her. "Please. Do not hesitate to call me."

Tears filled Lana's eyes as she took the paper from him. "I promise."

"Ema, mein liebe. Mein schatz," He whispered, resisting the emotion tearing away at his throat. He ran his fingers through her soft hair, kissing her forehead tenderly between words. "Ich bitte dich. Wach auf. Für mich. Für deine Schwester. Ich bin verloren ohne dich. Ich liebe dich."

Taking one last look at her, he turned to leave.

"You really love her, don't you?" When Lana's words stopped him, he turned. "I understood what you said. Every single word."

* * *

_Saturday, April 6th - 1:03 p.m._

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

Though Lana had given him a promise, unfortunately, he could not return to the comfort of his home. Not at a time like this, with the knowledge that someone had purposely hurt Ema. Instead, Klavier retrieved his sports car from the valet parking attendant and returned to the scene of the crime; He was relieved to see detectives already surrounding her house. Parking far away, he got out and scowled with a determination to get answers. A couple of officers had greeted him, yet he ignored them by walking passed. Even if it killed him, he would solve this case and banish the world of this nightmare forever.

One detective was taking samples from dishes in the sink while another secured an empty bag of her treasured snackoos from the trashcan; and another was taking photos of her personal items in the bathroom. "This was where I found her," he informed the detective.

"Prosecutor Gavin!?" the young, nervous man turned at the sound of his voice. "It was you?"

"Achtung! I want no stone left unturned on this scene! No one will stop until we get an answer. Understood?" His voice boomed through the entire home; his order was followed by several German curse words that he mumbled under his breath. His colleagues, confused about his sudden authority, continued to work. Behind Klavier's strong facade, he was shaken. Rather than Ema standing by his side in this hall, making depreciating jokes about her home in comparison to his, he was surrounded by detectives and police officers.

After retrieving a pair of sterile gloves from his subordinate, he allowed himself into the bedroom, where her lingering scent embraced his nose lovingly. The room was small, much like the rest of the house, with plain white walls and a window framed with brown curtains. A small dresser sat to his right and a neatly made bed with pink bedding was just ahead. Beneath his boots was a plush, pink throw rug, accenting well with the dark, wooden floor.

It was odd that he felt comforted here. Welcome. Like a piece of him belonged here. He accepted the peace, which revived his determination to bring her justice at all costs.

Klavier walked over to the bed and observed her nightstand carefully. An alarm clock, a lamp, an unplugged cell phone charger and a corded phone. Nothing seemed amiss here. Reaching for his flashlight, he looked underneath the bed but saw nothing obstructing his vision to the wall on the other side.

Returning to a stand, he eyed the entire bedroom admiringly, until his eyes set on the series of notes that he left with the roses. Above these, though, was another piece of plain white paper, pinned to the wall proudly above the dresser beside a unique teapot figure with a golden substance in it. _Fur mein Fraulein,_ it had read, in elegant handwriting oddly similar to his own. Beside it was a vase that once held her delivered flowers. He blinked; he never wrote this to her and this was not his handwriting. In the trash can beside the dresser, he found a parcel box addressed to her with writings that matched the handwriting of the German phrase.

Replacing his gloves, he carefully examined the bottle and discovered the teapot figurine to be a bottle of perfume, the same scent that she was wearing.

"Shit… Joe," he alerted the nearest detective. "I need this submitted as evidence immediately."

Removing the gloves from his hands, he watched the nervous police officer enter the bedroom and examine the teapot and the sign on the wall. His exhausted mind swirled with these new discoveries. Once the officer started to remove the fake message and retrieve the remnants of the parcel, he left the house without another word.

* * *

_Saturday, April 6th - 1:17 p.m._

_Fairview Medical Center – Intensive Care Unit_

* * *

"Sis..." Lana smiled as she brushed Ema's hair. "Your hair is so long and so full. I wonder what kind of shampoo you use. Regardless… we don't have it in prison," she laughed to herself. "I remember that I would try to make you have tea parties with me and my dolls when you were a baby. You didn't understand and you would always cry for mother."

She neatly placed Ema's brushed hair on the pillow beside her and moved on to another section of hair. To her great surprise, Klavier had entered the room without warning, with two doctors right behind him. He lowered her hospital gown and smelled the fragrance on her chest, then moved his nose to her wrists, where a small rash was visible. "It's the same scent," he had told the doctor behind him. "This needs to be tested."

"Huh? What's going on, Mr. Gavin?"

Klavier closed his eyes and paused, filling the room with silence, with the exception for the monotonous beeping of Ema's heart monitor. He tried to develop any other possible scenario, though the conclusion was always the same. Someone had hated him enough to make an attempt on Ema's life. "I think I am being framed."


	14. Chapter 14

Pretty Little Poison

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death; Mostly in the later chapters.

A/N: My heart. Send tissues. And wine.

* * *

"Impossible! But why?"

The medical staff had taken a small sample of Ema's skin and sent it to the lab. Klavier's mind was spinning with bewilderment and grief. So much grief. He was the former front man of the Gavinners and had signed many autographs over the years. Anyone could know his handwriting. Could the perpetrator have been a crazed fan that saw him and Ema together? His stomach turned; he failed to protect her.

He recalled Vera Misham's collapse in the middle of her trial for the murder of her father a while ago; she, too, suffered from poisoning in a similar manner that Ema had. However, the circumstances were opposite and different methods were used. Kristoph was in prison and had no knowledge about his relationship with Ema. His involvement was impossible. However, his downfall was well-known across the country, but only as the older brother of a rock star who turned to murder. He supposed there was a chance that his actions were mimicked.

His thoughts returned to the theory of an obsessed fan, and the unwanted memories of the many women he welcomed into his dressing rooms. It appeared his reckless ways had caught up with him and at Ema's expense. If this was the case, he would never forgive himself.

"I am only going to ask you this once, Mr. Gavin." The prosecutor's eyes lifted from Ema's face and met Lana's hard stare. "Did you poison my sister?"

Apparently, Lana was thinking of Kristoph, too. For reasons such as this, it was truly difficult being the younger brother of a serial killer. "Absolutely not. I love Ema. I would never hurt her."

He watched Lana's features twist painfully. "Please don't make me regret believing you."

"I swear this with my life. You have my word."

Tightening his hold onto his beloved's digits, he rested his throbbing forehead against his free hand. He was sure he could handle any legal proceedings, if it had ever come to that. All he cared for was Ema's survival. Lana watched his every move closely. He did not outwardly appear to be guilty, and she recalled how happy her sister was when the topic of him arose in their conversation. She was filled with joy. Beaming. What would Klavier gain trying to hurt her?

"Oh, Em..." She whispered, returning to brushing Ema's hair.

* * *

_Saturday, April 6th – 3:18 p.m._

_Los Angeles Prison, Solitary Cell 13_

* * *

Kristoph, just finished with his manicure, stood and stretched before walking over his mirror to look over his appearance. Ensuring that no officer was near his cell, he had reached for a book and opened it; the pages had been cut into a neat square, revealing the perfect hiding place for his cellular phone that he purchased from a corrupt security guard. A smile brightening his ageless face, he flipped open the cheap phone and called a number.

_Mr. Gavin!? What in the hell –_

"How goes it?" Kristoph whispered.

_Ema was rushed to the hospital last night! She was poisoned! I didn't … I didn't –_

"Is that so?" He was unfazed by this news.

_Mr. Gavin!_

"Mr. Bennett, remain calm. You have done nothing wrong, I assure you. The guilty party will be tried and convicted. This, I promise you."

* * *

_Saturday, April 6th - 6:57 p.m._

_Fairview Medical Center – Intensive Care Unit_

* * *

Klavier and Lana had eventually gave in and ate dinner that was sympathetically offered by the nurses at the hospital, though neither of them felt better afterwards. The two had made small talk, discussing old times, the jurist system, and Ema's determination to become a forensic scientist. Lana, though, never stopped studying Klavier, despite her growing conviction of his innocence.

She kept her curious gaze on him as he watched the sun set for another night; it was clear how easily Ema, and thousands of other women, had fallen head over heels for him. Despite his dark circles and his sullen stare to the bright, colorful rays of the sun, he was very handsome. He had shown so much devotion to her well being and her justice, she concluded his guilt to Ema's poisoning to be nearly impossible.

"How long have you had feelings for my sister?" She asked; another conversation starter.

"… Over a year, perhaps two." A smile, though painful, surfaced on his face. "With the heart of a lioness and the mind of a genius, she is perfect. No other maiden can compare. It simply took a while to come to terms with it."

Squeezing her sister's wrist, she smiled. "I understand."

Klavier's eyes fixed on the homicide detective's lifeless face. "She never had a favorable opinion of me. It was quite the challenge to change her mind." He pulled an empty seat to the end of Ema's bed and began to massage her feet. Lana had raised an eyebrow; she was ashamed to ever suspect him.

The doctor had paused to the left of the doorway, observing Ema's chart, though they paid no mind. Dr. Bone then entered the room quietly and eyed Ema's vitals on the screens. "We have good news. Mr. Gavin was correct; Ms. Skye's perfume tested positive for Bhykanol Futathine. The levels appear to be decreasing, so our treatments are working. Her bloodwork, otherwise, continues to remain normal. Therefore, we believe she has little to no organ damage."

Lana's cry of relief filled the quiet room. "Oh, thank you doctor!"

"However, there are two officers in the hallway who need to speak with you, Mr. Gavin."

The prosecutor stood suddenly, with a fiery determination in his features. "Do we have a suspect?"

Without saying another word, the doctor disappeared from the room and two officers, whom Klavier immediately recognized, emerged and stood in his place. Both had appeared to be visibly upset, and one of them had a pair of handcuffs in his hands. "I'm sorry, Prosecutor Gavin. I don't agree with this, either."

"What are you talking about?"

"We have a warrant for your arrest for attempted murder."

"Excuse me?" His gawk was dumbfounded. "I did not-"

Lana stood. "Mr. Gavin saved her life! He would never-"

"I'm sorry, Prosecutor. There were several pieces of evidence found, pointing towards your guilt. This isn't our decision to make, sir. Please forgive us."

The agony of Ema's impending absence seared through Klavier's body. He did not know when, or if, he would ever see her again. This pain was worse than any death. "I need a moment. Can you give me that?"

He watched the two officers turn to each other in silent debate with his request, and eventually, the two nodded. Klavier's broken stare turned to his beloved and slowly walked to her bedside, momentarily bending over her body. "Ema..." He stroked her hair with trembling hands before kissing her forehead. "Ich komme zurück zu dir. Ich liebe dich. Ich liebe dich." He finally surfaced to look towards Lana. "Please, take care of her for me."

She nodded, though her faith in him was visibly shaken. "Do you still stand by your promise?"

"Until my last breath, Miss Skye."

Klavier finally stood and he allowed the officer to place the handcuffs on his wrists and escort him from the room. Lana's sobs echoed into the hallway and he pursed his lips. Nurses, doctors and aides witnessing his escort gasped and whispered to each other, yet he paid no attention. The word of his arrest will spread fast. Soon, his face will appear on every news channel, comparing him to Kristoph.

No longer did he have the strength to react to the injustice. He could only pursue the truth and discover the identity of the real perpetrator, the monster that succeeded in tearing him apart from his beloved. Ema possessed a strong resolve and he could never dispute her ability to investigate. However, he doubted that their relationship would recover after this scandal. Not as long as his reputation was soiled at his brother's hands.

Without Ema, he was as sure as dead. And he preferred it that way.

* * *

_?_

* * *

It was cold. Dark. It was comforting, in an odd way. Peaceful. No worries. No emotion. No pain. A perfect state.

_Beep._

Her fingers twitched.

_Beep._

She felt a tightness around her upper arm.

_Beep. _

Her body began to ache from lack of movement.

_Beep._

Ema's eyes slowly opened to see the ceiling of her hospital room. Her reality, though, had not registered yet and it took a moment. Where was she? What was her last memory? Slowly blinking, she tried to lift her left hand but found that it was pinned down. Her head turned to see Lana, asleep beside her, with dried tears on her reddened face. With all her strength, she squeezed her sister's hand to alert her. Lana was in prison; she was sure she was dreaming.

She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as though she had been hit by a truck. Her body was painfully stiff and she longed to move, yet her energy seemed depleted. Perhaps she was not dreaming, after all. Trying to remain conscious, she gently squeezed Lana's hand again, and her body jerked upward as though she had never slept. "Ema!?"

She tried to speak. Her throat felt obstructed, though she could breathe perfectly fine. On her right arm was a blood pressure cuff and a device on her pointing finger. Her left hand and her left forearm were punctured with IVs. As each second passed, Ema's fear grew. She watched her elder sister run from the room, yelling for a doctor. What in the hell was going on?


	15. Chapter 15

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death.

* * *

?

* * *

Ema's throat was scratchy and dry and she immediately needed water. Oh, delicious water. This ordeal was so confusing, though she did not ask questions right away. Lana had watched her in amazement and with hints of grief in her face. "Sis… I was so scared for you."

Her mind was so foggy. Did she dare ask any questions in such a state? She looked at the bulky jug of ice water in her hands between greedy sips. Her stomach still turned, which brought back her last memory of throwing up in her bathroom before … "My date." Her voice was hoarse. "Klavier. Where's Klavier?"

What little joy Lana had in her features disappeared in that moment. "I need you to focus on getting better. You are in the hospital."

"I need to let him know I can't make it."

"He knows."

"… Is he angry?"

Ema watched Lana fight back emotion; the longer that she did not receive answers, the more afraid she had become. Many questions and theories invaded her thoughts when she observed all of the monitors and machines that surrounded her bed. Ema had just fainted, hadn't she? One of her essential vitamins must have dropped. Was all of this necessary? She flexed her fingers and tightened the back of her hand where her IV was placed.

"Mr. Gavin saved your life, sis," Lana finally told her.

"He… he what?" Looking to her sister's emotional state, her chin quivered.

"He found you in your bathroom and rushed you to the hospital. He never left your side once, and he is the reason I am sitting with you today… He truly cares about you."

Ema slowly processed her sister's words. In awe, she looked to the ceiling and imagined this. Her heart, overflowing with delight and admiration, fluttered in her chest as her sparkling smile widened; He truly loved her. Yes. And she loved him, too. There was not a single doubt in her mind. Her happiness was Lana's happiness, though the elder sister could not bring herself to admit the entire truth.

Lana squeezed her arm to get her attention and Ema had looked at her, only to watch her point forward. Her fellow detective, Lorna Adkins, was standing at the foot of her bed with a notepad and pen in her frail hands. "Ema… Is this a good time?"

"Lorna," Ema attempted to resist the grogginess. "Of course. How are you?"

Lorna smiled in appreciation and sat beside her. "I'm okay, but I'm more concerned about you. Are you all right?"

"I… think so," Ema shifted her body to face her better. "It's good to see you."

"You too, but really, I am here to ask you some questions."

Ema turned to Lana, who suddenly appeared nervous. Almost afraid. "All right."

"I need you to tell me what your relationship is with Klavier Gavin." Lorna's pleasant smile suddenly hardened, though Ema did not notice, as she blushed just at the mention of his name.

"He's... the love of my life," she finally said.

"Have you been made aware of the events that led you to the hospital?"

Lana squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing. This was not good, yet there was nothing she could do.

"I just fainted, right?" She observed her older sister's reaction in utter confusion.

Sighing, Lorna looked to her notes in the notepad. "Ema… you were poisoned. The perfume you were wearing on Friday night contained a lethal amount of Bhykanol Futathine, a much stronger form of Atroquinine. And I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you this," Lorna momentarily gazed at Lana. "Klavier is standing accused on the charge of attempted murder. I need you to tell me how this fragrance came into your possession."

Ema slowly took in Lorna's information. Klavier stood accused of attempted murder? Her hands slowly started to shake. "He… No… He wouldn't..." She shook her head. "He would never… Klavier wouldn't..." Tears burned in her tired eyes.

"Ema, listen," Lorna grabbed her arm. "In order to help Prosecutor Gavin, I need your full cooperation. Please tell me how you obtained the perfume."

* * *

_Monday, April 8th - 2:37 p.m._

_Detention Center – Visitor's Room_

* * *

Wiping a tear from his eye, Klavier sat on the cold, metal chair, waiting for his visitor. He was in disbelief that he resorted to contacting _him_, of all people, yet the lawyer seemed forgiving and promised him that he would hear his case. Scrambling to maintain his calm exterior, he resisted the urge to claw at his hair or to explode in anger. Klavier knew that he was innocent; he wondered how Kristoph felt as a convict. Did he possess the same intense anxiety, knowing his life was over?

Kristoph… he had not heard from him in months. His brother was still sore over his comment that the law no longer needed him and Klavier was relieved that his words tortured him. He, too, was all that Klavier had, as far as family was concerned, as his scenario was strikingly similar to his beautiful treasure. The lack of knowledge regarding her condition ripped through him, seared and branded into his mind, luring him, tempting him to lose his sanity.

Saturday was the first time, and the only time, that his eyes lied upon the poisonous perfume; he had saved her life, not made an attempt to end it. How did law enforcement not understand this? All that he told was nothing short of the truth, and he prayed that the truth would, indeed, set him free.

He looked to see his lawyer, who appeared to be at a loss for words, taking a seat in front of him. "Herr Wright," he greeted as coolly as he could muster.

"Are you aware that there are dozens of angry fans protesting for your release outside of the detention center?" He blinked, placing his suitcase beside him onto the floor. "It was hell trying to get into the jail."

Had it not been for the smile he forced, he would have burst into tears. "That is very flattering." His chest rumbled, threatening to release cries for his beloved. "Can you tell me about Ema? If she is all right?"

"Well… um..." Phoenix rubbed the back of his head. "I do not know much, but she is awake."

Klavier's eyes lit with joy; this smile he did not force. This was the first time that he experienced true relief since the incident. "Oh, Fraulein," he bit his fist. "Oh, praise God."

"Listen, we can talk about her later. We need to discuss why you are here and why you are accused of attempted murder."

Klavier nodded. "Ema and I were to go on a date Friday night. A magical evening where she would never leave my arms," he mused. "I had advised I would be picking her up at six thirty. When she did not answer the door, I allowed myself into her home and found her unconscious on the floor."

"What did you do then?" Phoenix began to take notes.

"I contemplated calling for an ambulance, but I assumed that she would receive medical care quicker if I took her to the hospital myself."

"I was advised that Ema was poisoned as a result of the perfume she was wearing… did you take any part of this at all?"

"Ich liebe Ema," Klavier began to shake. "Never would I hurt her. I gifted her no such thing. Everything I have given her was placed in her office!"

"Gifts?"

Klavier sighed. "Before the department's masquerade party, I ordered for flowers to be sent to her desk each week. At the end of the third week, I had included a ticket for the event, a mask, and jewelry." When Phoenix's eyebrows lowered, listening to him intently, he continued. "I knew that her views on me were not positive. I wanted to change her mind, ja?"

"And everything you told me thus far is the truth."

"I swear it on my life."

Phoenix had studied his new client. His behavior seemed to share no similarity to his brother. Klavier had seemed on edge. Nervous, while Kristoph had maintained a cool composure until the very end. "I believe you." When Phoenix spoke these words, Klavier's gaze fixed onto him. "With what has been presented to me so far, I feel that we may have a case. I will defend you, Mr. Gavin."


	16. Chapter 16

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death.

* * *

_Tuesday, April 9th – 7:12 a.m._

_Los Angeles Prison, Solitary Cell 13_

* * *

"She survived?"

_Yes, sir. Rumor is that she is being discharged from the hospital today._

Kristoph's lips curled back into a snarl. "Keep a close eye on her, and await my next instruction."

_I'm sorry, Mr. Gavin._

"Pardon me?"

The call was silenced. Kristoph had stared at the cheap cellular phone in his hand for a long while. It was time.

* * *

_Tuesday, April 9th – 11:07 a.m._

_Ema Skye's Residence_

* * *

She wished that she could bring Lana home with her; unfortunately, they were forced to part ways upon her discharge from the hospital.

Ema hailed a taxi and returned home with an empty void growing larger and larger in her chest, threatening to consume her. Her belongings had been ransacked and tore apart. The dishes were messily stacked in her sink. The trash can was in the middle of her kitchen floor and had been sorted through. Sighing in disgust, she retired to her bedroom; she would clean later.

When she entered the bedroom and noticed the gifts from her dresser gone without a trace, tears filled her eyes. It was as if Klavier had never existed and all of the joy and happiness she experienced from the past few weeks were simply an illusion. Was his purpose, entering her life, really his intent to harm her? It did not seem possible. He had done too much for her. Oh, how she longed to speak with him. To feel his embrace and the brush of those velvet lips just one more time.

In frustration, she shoved all of her belongings on the bed onto her floor and climbed under her covers. The possibility hurt. The possibility hurt way too much. She was such a fool for getting involved with that glimmerous fop. Had she followed her logic and rejected him from the beginning, she would not have been poisoned and he would not be in jail. He would be a free man and do whatever he wished. Another woman would be in her place, witnessing the beauty of the rolling hills and the meadow at sunset, sharing her first kiss with him. And maybe… she would have given herself to him, too.

Yet, she loved that glimmerous fop with everything in her. The thought of another in his arms crushed her, with her body encased in a coffin of pain and misery, leaving her unable to breathe. With these intense feelings of love came great despair, and she refused to let herself be put in this position again.

The ring of her phone on the nightstand had alerted her and she rolled over in a moan. Ugh! She was not in the mood for this. She reached over and picked up the receiver. "Yeah?"

_Hello, Ema._

She sat up in an instant, smiling from ear to ear. "Klavier?" The man's voice was identical. Uncanny!

The laugh on the receiving end warmed her heart. _No, my apologies. My name is Kristoph Gavin. I am unsure if he has mentioned me, but I am Klavier's older brother._

"K-Kristoph…? I've heard of you. What do you want?" How did he find her phone number?

_I desire nothing, except to wish you a well recovery and to offer condolences for my brother's actions._

"W-wh… Wait. How did you-"

_A segment was aired on the news a few nights ago. The word travels fast when the accused possesses a social status, such as my brother's._

"I… see. Thank you, Mr. Gavin."

_Have you obtained the advice of legal counsel?_

"I…" She blushed. Such a thought had never occurred to her. This conversation was uncomfortable, yet she never wanted him to stop talking; his voice was so soothing. "No. I was just discharged from the hospital this morning."

_The trial begins soon. If you choose, I would be more than happy to offer my services by representing you in court. _

"I… I don't know."

_No pressure, Miss Skye. If you decide, feel free to visit me. Do not feel intimidated, but I am located at the prison. I will alert the security officials of your possible arrival._

"T-Thank you, Mr. Gavin."

The conversation was over and she ached with the emptiness. What a stupid situation she had gotten herself into. She simply could not wait until this hell was over and she could return to normal.

Accepting Kristoph's offer would mean the ultimate betrayal; It sounded as though he was convinced of Klavier's guilt. This had worried her, but it was clear that he would know him better than anyone else. Perhaps it was worth the visit and she could learn more about the battle ahead in the courtroom.

She fell back onto her bed and released a loud sigh.

* * *

_Tuesday, April 9th – 3:42 p.m._

_Los Angeles Prison, Solitary Cell 13_

* * *

Ema stood outside of the beautifully decorated cell, joining her palms together tightly at her stomach. God, why did she come here again? Her judgment was undeniably flawed, though she knew she did not have the ability to think straight. Her thoughts could not stray from Klavier for long, yet she would do whatever it took in an attempt to help him, even if it meant a deal with his devil for a brother.

"Inmate," the security guard alerted Kristoph, who was reading a book. "Your client is here."

"Thank you," he turned, closing his literature.

The guard opened the cell's door and allowed her in. The moment that Ema's eyes met with Kristoph's, she froze. The elder brother, well dressed to fit a perfect image, was a near-exact likeness to Klavier. The only differences, she had noticed, was that his hair was a lighter shade of platinum and he was taller. His gaze, too, was fixed on her, in a way that she deduced only a Gavin could look at a woman; his eyes, sparkling behind his glasses, taking in each part of her face, with his head tilted slightly in wonder and awe. Watching him brush a strand of platinum hair out of his eyes and push his glasses to the bridge of his nose, all breath had left her body. "I..."

"Miss Skye," he smiled warmly. "It's good to meet you, at last. Have a seat."

She could not take her eyes off of him. So many memories had flooded her at that moment, paralyzing her mind and her reasoning; Klavier's visits to her office, their dance at the masquerade, the first time they had made love… The strong ache returned with a vengeance and throbbed in her entire body. Her lips tingled with the thought of Klavier's last kiss. These reminders left her chest aching in loss.

"Is something wrong, Miss Skye?" The way he had tilted his head, watching her, shattered her heart. Klavier would look at her in this manner often. He walked to her and circled his forearm around her waist to usher her to her seat. "Come."

"I'm sorry, I was just ..." she began.

"It's all right. Shocked by our resemblance? I know," he chuckled. "I was the brain between the two of us. While I was always occupied with a good book, my dear brother would play with his guitar and chase women." When he saw the visible hurt in her features, he added, "My apologies for my bluntness, Miss Skye. I cannot fathom how hard this must be for you."

"It's unbearable..." she murmured as she sat in the seat across from him, separated by a small, wooden table. "Almost like death… only much worse."

"I will do what I can to secure justice for you," he placed a hand on hers. "All I need is your permission to represent you." She watched his hand for a moment, in surprise that he did not pull away. His touch was so smooth and soft, with perfectly manicured nails stroking against her knuckles. Kristoph was a true perfectionist, much more than his brother. Ema did not feel that such a possibility existed. "I already submitted a request for all evidence available and I received these files just before you arrived." He held up a plain, yellow folder. "It appears that my brother is almost too much like me."

Ema blushed. "What do you mean?"

"Miss Skye." Kristoph paused. "The odds are in the prosecution's favor; It's likely he will be convicted."


	17. Chapter 17

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death.

A/N: CHARACTER DEATH WARNING.  
… I have zero words for this chapter.

* * *

"He's innocent. Why would he try to kill me and then save my life?"

"I am surprised that you are asking that, Miss Skye. In how many murder cases have you witnessed a defendant try to stage their innocence?"

"I thought you were a defense attorney."

"I am also his brother, who possesses a strong awareness to his true nature."

Ema sank back into her chair and choked down her cries. Her wounds were much deeper than Kristoph had expected. He stood and gently pulled her from the chair to take her into a comforting hug. "It may not seem like it for the time being, but all will be well again. Do not allow this horrific incident to define you."

Ema eased her face against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Tell me… Tell me about him. Klavier."

"Very well." Straightening his back, he turned to fix his gaze on his bookshelf, he pursed his lips. "Anything specific you desire to hear about?"

"What did you mean by his true nature?"

He turned to her with a cold stare and her curiosity melted away, as though she said something wrong. "My parents have since passed away." He finally said. "Our father shot our mother in a rage one evening when I was seventeen. Klavier was eight. When father realized what he did, he ended his life."

Ema blinked in shock and surprise. "That's terrible. I'm so sorry."

"Do not apologize. Since I was nearing the age of eighteen, the courts ruled that I was capable of raising Klavier. Though, I learned of his rebellion from the time he was fourteen. It was difficult controlling him at times. He's always had a brilliant mind, though he has not always made the best decisions.

"To be fair, neither have I. I am here, after all." He chuckled and Ema blinked. "Regardless of my fate, the death of my parents was the reason I chose my profession in law. I wanted to defend those like my father and also be a voice for the victim. Klavier, though, saw my success as an attorney and decided to follow suit, only he would face me from the other side of the courtroom. Rather than rehabilitate, he wished to punish."

While taking in his words, Ema's eyes studied the lavish room, which hardly appeared to be a prison cell at face value. Kristoph possessed so many books and he appeared to be well educated.

"What do you see in my dear brother, anyway?" he had asked her.

"I..." she paused. "He made me feel important. Loved." Without moving her face, her eyes scanned the elaborate collection of nail polishes on the small stand. In the corner of the cell, deliberately hidden, was a clear bottle in the shape of a teapot, identical to her own. She blinked. Impossible.

Kristoph's silence caught her attention and she turned to see his gaze just inches from her.

Her breathing stopped.

Up close, his eye color greatly differed from that of his younger brother. Though the same, pale shade of cerulean, his irises, instead, revealed small flicks of gray, only visible when the light would pass through his glasses. Kristoph's face was slightly longer and his chin was more square, yet his appearance was polished to a perfection like Klavier. Ema could not look away from his handsome face, though she reminded herself that this was not the man she loved.

"Love is a dangerous game to play, Miss Skye," he had murmured.

Ema closed her eyes and swallowed, with her face twisting with grief. "I appreciate your concern, Mr. Gavin, but ..." She returned to study his collection of literature and found herself stroking her finger down the spine of his copy of _Pride and Prejudice_. Realizing that she had made a mistake by coming here, fear started to eat away at her stomach.

"Jane Austen," he had mused. "One of my favorite authors. Do you have an interest in literature?"

She remained in control of her body and resisted reacting at the memory of Klavier's reference about William Shakespeare. "My heart belongs to Science, Mr. Gavin."

He chuckled warmly. "I figured as such. I will make some tea for us before we study the evidence."

From the moment she saw the teapot's replica among his collection, she knew that he was the real culprit behind her poisoning. Her instinct was sure of it, but how did he attack her from this prison? Why would he target her? They had never met prior to this day, nor was she aware of his existence until her conversation with Klavier on the hillside.

She should have known better than to trust a deranged killer.

After heating some water in the kettle, Kristoph poured the hot liquid into a pair of cups and retrieved two tea bags. She noticed that he had kept looking at her out of the corner of her eye, watching her movements, which confirmed the inevitable. He was trying to poison her again.

"If convicted, how much time do you feel he would receive?" She stalled him, scrambling for an idea.

"Attempted murder is a serious charge. My guess is twenty years."

With his back to her, she watched him put the two cups onto an ornate tray with silver plating and place it on his small table. Though she knew exactly what was in her cup, she thanked him as though nothing was amiss and took her seat once again. In return, he had smiled. He was so friendly. How could he remain so calm? "Oh, I'm sorry. I prefer my tea black. Would you like some sugar?"

"Yes, please."

He stood and turned his back to find the sugar. Noting that the middle of the tray was bent, the edges were slightly raised from the table. Without thinking, Ema gently gripped the tray and spun it around easily and silently to switch the cups. Her heart pounded, with utter terror pumping through her veins and her stomach turning with nausea. She could only pray that the contents of their drinks were the same, as it was too late to reverse this mistake.

Kristoph returned to the table and retrieved the folder. "Oh, my dear brother," he said to himself as he began to search through the papers, bringing the tainted drink to his lips. It had taken every shred of effort from Ema's body to remain still and emotionless. "He had sent you flowers, yes?"

"Correct," she shifted in her seat while gently stirring the sugar into her drink.

"It appears he may have been stalking you as well," he lowered his eyebrows. "Quite low, even for him."

She watched him take another drink nervously.

"The odds of an acquittal are … small…" Kristoph flinched. Ema's palms began to sweat. She should have just refused the tea. What if she would be the one behind bars for life? Could this even be deemed as a form of self defense? What would Klavier think of this? So many questions pooled in her mind, invading her thoughts. "Your tea is getting cold, Miss Skye."

Ema gulped. "Oh, I guess it is." He watched her hold the cup to her lips and mimic a sip, but she made an effort not to take in the first drop of the warm liquid. She kept her eyes on him, though his flawless complexion slowly started to pale. "Have his fingerprints been located on any of the evidence?"

"No… Not that … Not that I see," Kristoph's hard blink could be seen through his delicately rimmed glasses.

"Are you okay, Mr. Gavin?" Ema was afraid of his response.

"I am starting to feel a little... tired," Kristoph had taken another drink of his tea, and then started to pant as if he was out of breath. "Miss Skye..."

Ema blinked. Uh oh. Visibly shaking, she stood and started to back away from the table. Kristoph's frantic eyes began to search her suspiciously. "You…." He choked out. With his strength starting to diminish, he lunged towards her and gripped her throat with his strong hands. "You, bitch."

Her mouth opened widely, fighting to breathe as her chair fell over beneath her feet. Without warning, he had kissed her, with his tongue, still warm from the poisoned tea, grazing every inch of her mouth in hopes of adding some poison to her system. She squirmed and tried to push him away, but he slammed her body against the concrete wall repeatedly, depleting her oxygen. "If I die, you will accompany me. My sweetest revenge is Klavier's suffering."

Ema's arms and legs kicked and thrashed about in desperation to fight him off, to no avail. Her cheeks tingled and reddened from the lack of blood flow and oxygen. She gripped for anything her hands could reach to toss, in an attempt to catch the guard's attention. He had learned of her trick and pinned her arm with his free hand. Her vision, starting to blur, fixed on Kristoph's murderous stare. With renewed strength, she kicked him in any area that the range of her legs and knees allowed. Though his grip on her throat was like iron, he dropped to his knees, with Ema's body falling with him.

Kristoph climbed atop her and strengthened the hold around her throat. His eye twitched at the sight of life slowly leaving from her face. "Nothing personal, my dear." He quivered, appearing to resist the effects of the poison.

"Hey, hey! Inmate!" Two security guards rushed into Kristoph's cell and ripped his weakening body away from Ema, who coughed violently and choked on her first gasp of air. Kristoph, no longer able to stand with the apprehending officers, began to foam at the mouth and convulse. Another corrections guard rushed in and spoke into his radio transmitter, demanding for medical assistance before rushing to Ema's side to examine her. He had asked her if she was all right, but she frantically cried at the sight of Kristoph's convulsions. Had she not acted, had she not pieced things together, it would be her lying there.

With his beautiful eyes remaining open, he extended his arm to Ema, as if he was continuing to choke her. His convulses slowed into mere twitches until he stopped moving.


	18. Chapter 18

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death.

A/N: This is a rather graphic chapter. This, too, was super difficult to write.

* * *

_Wednesday, April 10th – 9:55 a.m._

_D__istrict Court - __Courtroom #2_

* * *

For hours, it seemed like, Ema was questioned by police. Once she was cleared of any wrongdoing, she worked with law enforcement to obtain a handwriting sample and the teapot figurine from Kristoph's cell for evidence in the case of her attack. It did not take long to confirm that he, indeed, was the perpetrator behind her poisoning. It was him who had made an attempt on her life, and not Klavier Gavin. Though these facts were clear, and though she knew that the elder brother's only intention was her demise, his death darkened her conscience. Her chest was heavy with guilt, though she knew that it would have been her lying in the morgue, had she not taken action.

When she left the court house's garage after parking her car, the first thing she saw was dozens of angry fans, gathered and protesting on the court house's steps in demand of Klavier's acquittal. Various signs, some written in English and others in German, were held in the air, proclaiming his innocence. They were exactly right. Klavier Gavin was, indeed, innocent. She passed the angry, chanting mob and allowed herself into the building.

Remaining inconspicuous, she entered the gallery and took a middle seat in the back row to blend in with the chatty fans in attendance to show their support. Ema reached into her pocket and munched on her smuggled snackoos. She truly did not want to be here, and she was not sure why she decided to attend Klavier's hearing to begin with; though she was certain Klavier hated her, she guessed she wanted to look at him one more time before silently bidding him farewell and returning into the nothingness, where she belonged. She was planning on transferring to another city for work, and would only travel to Los Angeles to visit Lana.

Klavier appeared in the room, along with Phoenix Wright, and the gallery erupted in supportive cheers. He did not seem to care to notice them. A lump swelled in Ema's throat; this was all her fault. Had she just rejected him from the beginning. Had she not fallen madly, deeply in love with him, this would have never happened. He would be a free man to be with whoever he wished, and his brother would remain rotting in prison. From the distance, she could tell that his cheeks were slightly sunken into his sullen face and his eyes were framed with darker circles. Damn her. Damn her for ruining his perfect beauty.

"All rise!" The bailiff called to the courtroom and the gallery stood obediently. When they had done so, Klavier skimmed over all the faces in the gallery and found Ema, who's painful gaze, too, remained fixated in his direction. A weak smile twitched across his face, with his piercing, blue eyes beginning to glimmer with hope. This had twisted the knife in Ema's heart. How was she going to live with herself?

"You may now be seated."

Ema was the last to sit down. Klavier's smile widened, taking her presence in. She was here. She was alive. He yearned to jump over the defense's table and climb into the gallery and take her into his arms.

"Initially, the court was planning to arraign Klavier Gavin on the charge of attempted murder," the judge began. "However, we have received new, decisive evidence that has dropped all suspicion on him as a suspect. The perpetrator, though, passed away unexpectedly before he could be brought into the court of law. Therefore, I feel that I have no choice but to close the case. Does the prosecution or the defense have any further words to say regarding this case?"

"No, your honor," the prosecutor, a tall, heavy, balding man that Ema did not recognize, shook his head.

"The defense has nothing, your honor," Phoenix, too, rejected the offer.

"Very well. The charge against Klavier Gavin is dismissed. Court is adjourned." He pounded his gavel and the court erupted into more cheers.

Klavier had smiled gratefully towards the judge; though, when he searched for Ema in the crowd, she was gone. Phoenix had shaken his hand and the prosecutor congratulated him on his acquittal, but he did not comprehend the first word said to him. Upon leaving the courthouse, more fans cheered and screamed loudly for his victory. He was a free man, yet he still felt as though he was in chains.

* * *

_Wednesday, April 10th – 1:03 p.m._

_E__ma Skye's Residence_

* * *

Rubbing her sore shoulders, Ema returned to her laptop in the search for job applications. She found a similar job in a neighboring city, though she did not have the experience that they seemed to require. She had a connection with Dick Gumshoe that could be useful; perhaps he could pull some strings at his department until she was able to take her forensics exam again. Regardless, her time in Los Angeles was over and it was time for her to move on. Wiping a tear from her eye, she took another drink of wine. At least _he _was free. And really, that was all that mattered to her. Soon, her bruises would fade and her scarred spirit would heal.

A knock on the door had pulled her out of her daze. Rubbing her stiff shoulder, she wrapped her black scarf around her neck to conceal her bruises and slowly made her way to the front door. Placing her hand on the doorknob, she twisted it and pulled the barrier toward her, revealing Klavier's soft, but sober gaze. "Hey."

"Hey," she murmured. The two had stared for such a long while into each other's eyes. Both were wounded and would be for some time. Ema eventually widened the space of the door and allowed him in. The corner of his mouth twitched and he walked inside. She closed her laptop and scooted it forward on the coffee table as he sat beside her on the leather couch.

"Nice place," he tried to make small talk.

"Thank you..." Her response was quiet. Almost inaudible.

Another silence. Not taking his eyes off of her, he held her hand. "You saved my life. I am free because of you. Thank you."

"Please don't say that."

Klavier blinked. "Why? It's true."

Ema closed her eyes and found herself shaking her head. "It's not. You were freed because you were innocent."

He curled her loose hair behind her ear and accidentally exposed some bruising. He studied her injuries closer. "… What in the hell did he do to you, Fraulein? No one told me he…"

His strained voice lured the powerful sobs from Ema's throat. With emotionless features, Klavier, for the first time, welcomed the dark thoughts and images of his brother's demise; he had truly hoped he suffered for all the pain he caused. Had Kristoph survived his own poisoning, he would have ensured his death. His body, shredded to a bloody pulp by his hands and teeth, left his eye twitching. Such an extreme death would have been worth every miserable second in prison. Perhaps he was no better than him, after all.

Cautiously, he started to unwind the scarf slowly from around her neck to expose more of the colorful injuries. "May I?" Ema winced with the knowledge of her exposure, but said nothing. His fingers grasped the hem of her shirt and cautiously eased it from her skin.

"You don't want to see this," She warned him.

"I do."

Releasing more sobs, she joined him and slowly removed the shirt with ease and revealed the black and purple bruising in the shape of fingerprints on her slender neck, along with splotches of similar colors on her collarbones and between her shoulder blades. Blinking away tears, Klavier's complexion paled. That bastard! How dare he touch her?

"You don't understand, Klavier. I killed him."

"He died by his own poison. You did no such thing."

"He served me poisoned tea and I switched the cups when he wasn't looking. I did not know he was going to die. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Klavier continued playing with her hair silently, listening to her sobs. He, too, released a couple of tears with the knowledge that her injuries were due to his brother's attempt on her life. A ring-clad finger traced over the bruises on her neck gently, gradually moving upward to cup her chin and nudging her to look at him. "If anyone should be sorry, it should be me, for not keeping you out of harm's way."

And she felt his lips brush against each and every mark his brother had left behind. Through her pain, both emotional and physical, the flame of her desire was reignited. It had been so long since she had felt his touch. Or, at least, that was what it had felt like. Her head slowly tilted back, allowing his heat to embrace her. What had she done to deserve him? "I love you, Fraulein," he whispered into her ear. "Nothing will change my feelings for you."

She opened her eyes to view his angelic face, full of admiration and awe at the sight of her. "I..." she trailed off. "I love you!" She closed the gap between their faces with a crushing kiss. "More than anything in the world!"

"Oh, Ema," Without hesitation, he took her into his arms. "Those sweet words… music to my ears."


	19. Chapter 19

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

Rated M for: Lemon, strong language, very dark/potentially triggering themes [specifically violence/murder] and minor character death.

A/N: I admit, I had to stop writing this at one point because I had an anxiety attack. The minor character that died in this story is actually one of my favorites in the Ace Attorney games.  
I'm weird. Ignore me.

* * *

_Monday, April 15th – 10:49 a.m._

_E__ma Skye's Residence_

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

Ema stood in view of her full length mirror, nervously observing her simple, knee length black dress and matching high heels. The majority of the fading bruises on her neck was covered by a thick, black choker that Klavier had gifted her upon his arrival. It surprisingly suited the remainder of her attire. Klavier's gaze locked with her reflection as he stood behind her, finishing styling her hair. "Blaming yourself is unnecessary, lieb."

She winced. "But… he's your brother."

"Kristoph's destruction was what led to his demise. Had he succeeded with his plan..." He placed Ema's flat brush on her dresser and wrapped his arms around her waist, with his chin resting on her shoulder. "I would have died along with you."

Her freshly manicured nails traced the digits of his masculine hands. She leaned her head against his and closed her eyes; at times, she believed that she was handling Kristoph's death worse than he was. His final words would forever echo in her mind: _My sweetest revenge is Klavier's suffering._ The corner of her mouth twitched into a subtle smile. "I'll never let him suffer."

Klavier lowered his eyebrows. "What?"

With his hold sliding to her hips, she turned and brushed his cheek with the knuckles of her fingers before tenderly kissing him. After all that Kristoph had tried to destroy their lives, the younger brother still arranged a proper burial. Yes, it was true. She really had it all wrong about Klavier. She was no longer afraid to admit this. "I love you," she whispered.

"Oh, Fraulein," he chuckled. "I love you, too."

She picked up her purse from the bed and followed him outside of her home, where she paused to lock her door. When Ema turned to walk to the car, she saw Klavier with his hand extended, waiting for hers. "You're hopeless," she smiled as her fingers intertwined with his.

They traveled to the small church Klavier had chosen, located about ten miles away; this setting had been tradition for the Gavin family's services for many generations, regardless of religious views. His ancestors had believed that by presenting the deceased in the church, the spirit would have a chance to repent before their final judgement. Though many of the ceremonies took place in Germany, Klavier had opted for the burial to occur on the land in which the two of them remembered.

The sports car's tires crunched quietly against the rocks as they parked beside the only other vehicle on the property; a plain, black van that belonged to the funeral home. Ema's eyebrows lowered, suspiciously scanning their surroundings. "Where is everyone?"

"It's a family tradition to have a private viewing before the service," his reply was quiet after he turned off the ignition and removed his keys. With his hardened stare towards the steering wheel, they sat in silence for a few moments. Ema kept her hands folded onto her thighs and too, remained quiet, double-checking the parking lot for any others. Perhaps they arrived before the other members of Klavier's family. Finally, he allowed himself out of the car and walked to the other side to open Ema's door for her. Her lips twisted into a warm smile. A gentleman, even at a funeral.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?"

He opened the large, ornate door to the church and allowed her inside first. "For coming with me today, despite the circumstances. You have the courage of a lion, Fraulein. I love that about you."

"I couldn't let you come alone."

The two shared a long gaze towards one another and looked forward.

The sanctuary was well lit and possessed a welcoming atmosphere, with fluorescent fixtures hanging from the ceiling in a neat row, and the natural light shining through the lines of windows, brightening the white paint on the walls. The two dozen wooden pews, visibly aged but well cared for, created a wide path before them that led to the altar and podium. Obstructing the full view of the altar, vertically aligned in front of the wooden pews stood a bier holding a steel-blue casket, adorned with beautiful, bold blue carnations and baby's breath. The lid was open.

Ema's arm automatically wrapped around Klavier's, who placed his thumbs in his belt loops, and they slowly strolled down the aisle. Neither of them could take their eyes off of the nearing casket; Ema was almost afraid to see her attacker's body, knowing the circumstances. It mattered not how many times the younger brother had tried to convince her of her innocence, or how many reminders that she would have been the murdered. She ended Kristoph Gavin's life.

She paused at the first row of the pews and allowed Klavier to walk to him first. Pausing, taking in the sight of his dead brother, he rubbed a hand over his face. His expression was unreadable, though his eyes spoke with sorrow. Not the first sound could be heard in the silent sanctuary, though Ema feared Klavier could hear her deafening heartbeat.

He had murmured something in the German language, though Ema was unable to interpret. Tears welled in her eyes and she tried to blink them away, watching Klavier's face darken with his grief. He spoke more of this foreign language, but it seemed like he was talking to himself. "Are you proud?" The homicide detective blinked, finally able to hear an English sentence. She cautiously put one foot in front of the other and slowly turned her gaze to the man in the casket. Her breathing ceased.

Dressed in an all-white suit, similar to the one he was wearing when they met, it appeared as though he was only sleeping, due to wake up at any moment. Even in death, the resemblance between the two brothers was striking. She resisted a reaction to the intense terror that ripped through her body, just at the sight of him.

"You never did learn, did you, dear brother?" Klavier whispered to him.

A single tear seeped from his eye and down the flawless skin of his cheek. Finally, his fingers embraced the adorned rim of the casket and he lowered his head. This was Ema's cue to inch forward and offer a consoling hand to his shoulder. "I'm sorry..." She squeaked.

"Don't be," he straightened and his face came into view. "He would have murdered me in your place, had he received the opportunity." He turned to her, with more tears escaping from his eyes. "That was his plan from the beginning. Your attacks were nothing personal towards you."

"But why?"

He half chuckled, half choked on a cry. "He never did handle rejection well."

Ema's confusion grew, but she said nothing. An elder man emerged quietly, presumably the funeral home worker, and he walked down the large path to approach them. She had taken this opportunity to sit in the front row so he could speak with Klavier.

She painfully watched the prosecutor listen to the man. How could he possibly love her the same after what she did? All she could think of was the guilt. How she should have never entertained Kristoph's offer. Though, a man with apparent wealth, he was capable of ending their lives by other means. Her gaze trailed to Kristoph and she winced. This could have been prevented.

One by one, mourners trickled into the sanctuary and offered their condolences to Klavier before filling the pews. Several had acknowledged Ema, though she could not determine if they knew who she was. Eventually, she saw Klavier growing weary, as though he was growing tired of speaking with people. To their great surprise, Phoenix Wright appeared to shake Klavier's hand. She had noticed, though, that he seemed suddenly uncomfortable by speaking with the defense attorney. Miles Edgeworth, too, took Klavier's hand and offered sincere condolences. Trucy, and Apollo, visibly stricken with grief, hugged him and sobbed.

"How are you holding up?"

"Hmm?" Ema looked forward and saw Phoenix crouched in front of her. "Oh… I guess not very well." She paused, with her face twisting with her emotion. Phoenix took her into a hug.

"You and Prosecutor Gavin are welcome at my office any time you need me," he murmured into her shoulder. She nodded, permitting a little slip of her cries. Not from mourning, but for Klavier's pain that she caused.

The service was officiated by a younger man, who spoke few words, mostly of Kristoph's accomplishments in life and his former respect from peers. At Klavier's request, no scripture was quoted, as he knew that this did not align with Kristoph's beliefs. The two could hear Trucy's quiet cries and Apollo blowing his nose and Ema raised an eyebrow. They seemed to be the only two visibly upset about Kristoph's passing.

When Klavier and Ema left the church, they were met by security guards standing on the steps, and police officers creating a line at the opening of the driveway to block the screaming fans and paparazzi on the opposite side of the street, attempting to catch a glimpse of the former rock star. Ema's anger brewed. Do others not have any shame? She wrapped a protective arm around him.

"It's all right," Klavier chuckled. "They follow me everywhere I go in this city."

They drove to the cemetery nearby, where they gathered around the grave site to bid farewell by tossing flowers onto the casket as it was lowered. Ema could not bring herself to participate, though. She honestly wished he was rotting in hell. Eventually, she had noticed Klavier did not toss a flower, either. Rather, he had waited for the crowd to begin dispersing before he reached his gloved hand into his pocket and pull out the same perfume that Kristoph had gifted Ema.

"What the hell? How?" She gasped.

"I had this piece of evidence released to me after the case was dismissed," he smiled victoriously as he gently tossed it into the grave with the casket. The bottle shattered and spilled, soaking the scattered carnations nearby. When he wrapped his arm around Ema's waist, his smile faded. "I will miss who you used to be, big brother."


	20. Epilogue

_Pretty Little Poison_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I affiliated with Ace Attorney or Capcom. This story is just for fun.

A/N: This finale is embarrassingly short, but I really wanted this scene featured in the story, and this was how I was planning to end it when I first started this emotional roller coaster. I left room for a sequel, if I do decide to do one. I hope you all enjoyed this, and I hope you all have happy holidays!

* * *

_Friday, February 7th – 12:59 p.m._

_Los Angeles Prison_

* * *

Ema beamed towards the double doors of the large prison. Her eleven year wait was over.

Klavier leaned against his car and looked towards the sky in deep thoughts; snowflakes fell elegantly from the gray clouds and onto the ground, beginning to accumulate to the surfaces. Regardless of the upcoming weather hazards, it was a good day.

Crossing his legs, he watched Ema begin to jump and sob before running as fast as her legs could carry her to the gate, where Lana had emerged. He watched the two sisters take each other into a bone crushing hug. His beautiful Fraulein was finally happy, and their own nightmare, too, was over. Though he shared the elation of their reunion, he ached with envy for the first time. Klavier would never experience this joy with his own brother. Of his immediate family, he was the only one left. He scoffed towards the sky in thought, considering if there was truth to his family's spiritual beliefs.

He hoped to see Kristoph again, but only to inflict pain twenty times over. If such a thing was possible, anyway.

"Klavier!"

He snapped out of his thoughts and looked forward to see Ema, happier than he had ever seen her, walking towards him with Lana behind her. "Welcome back!" He beamed, though Lana said nothing but hugged him.

"I can't thank you enough, Mr. Gavin," She had finally told him after breaking the hug. "I'm forever in your debt."

"You are not, Miss Skye. All I want from you is to live a long and fulfilling life, ja?"

"There must be something-"

"I will accept nothing," he smiled.

The three strolled to the car, with Ema grinning from ear to ear and chattering excitedly to the both of them. Klavier kept his eye on her as she approached the passenger's side and allowed herself into the vehicle. "Though, there is one thing I want to discuss with you."

"What is that?" Lana blinked.

"You are her only living relative, ja?"

Her eyes cast to the snow beneath their shoes. "I am."

Klavier fumbled with the ring box in his pocket. "In that case, I will need to speak to you in private." He turned to his running car. "Later."

* * *

_To whom it may concern,_

_I am Kristoph Gavin, Attorney at Law. I've had the reputation as one of the most respected lawyers in Los Angeles, as I have discovered many truths for my clients and sealed their acquittals. If you have received this letter, unfortunately, I am no longer living, having died an unclean death. _

_There is no denying that I have angered several over the years, and I am sure it is due to my many victories. I have represented and faced many dangerous individuals who have threatened my life, had I not met their terms. I wish to bring one last case to the court of law, with your help. It consists of bringing the perpetrator(s) to justice. I kindly ask for your services, so that I may finally rest in piece._

_Yours._


End file.
